Released from jail, arrested again within days! Story of former K-Pop idol Cha Joo Hyuk

Former K-Pop idol Cha Joo Hyuk, formerly known by his stage name Kangho, was arrested just days after being released from prison in December 2018, marking another low point in a series of legal troubles that followed his exit from the music industry.

Cha was a member of the co-ed K-Pop group Coed School, which debuted in 2010 under Core Contents Media. He left the group before the debut of its male subunit SPEED in 2012, following controversy and rumours. After leaving music, he briefly pursued acting before becoming embroiled in serious drug-related offences.

In 2016, Cha was prosecuted for violating South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act. Prosecutors stated that he had taken marijuana, ketamine and ecstasy on at least 13 occasions in South Korea and the Netherlands, smuggled ketamine, and introduced an acquaintance to a marijuana dealer. He was sentenced to one year and six months in prison.

During the trial, a detective involved in the investigation noted concerns over repeated drug use, stating in September 2017 that authorities suspected addiction and believed “it may be better to keep Cha from having access to any drugs for a certain period of time.” Cha completed his sentence and was released on December 14, 2018.

However, just 11 days later, police were called to an apartment building in Seocho, Seoul, at around 4 am after reports of disorderly conduct. According to police, Cha had mistakenly entered another resident’s apartment, refused to leave, and verbally abused officers when they arrived. He was arrested at the scene and taken to Seocho Police Station.

During the investigation, police discovered his prior criminal record and conducted a drug test, which returned positive results. It also emerged that Cha had previously been charged with injuring three pedestrians in October 2016 while driving under the influence of alcohol.

In the years following these incidents, Cha Joo Hyuk has largely stayed out of the public spotlight. Reports indicate that he has worked to rebuild his life, transitioning into a career as a DJ and later qualifying as an Apple Certified IT Professional. His post-arrest trajectory has been cited as an example of a former idol attempting to move away from past controversies and establish a stable life outside the entertainment industry.