'Do you know who I am?' Hoka distributor CEO resigns after allegedly beating workers in abandoned church

The head of Joyworks&Co, the Korean distributor for running shoe brand Hoka, has stepped down after admitting to assaulting subcontracted workers.

Hoka logo [HOKA]

The head of Joyworks&Co, the Korean distributor for running shoe brand Hoka, has stepped down after admitting to assaulting subcontracted workers.

CEO Cho Sung-hwan allegedly called subcontracted employees to an abandoned church building in Seongsu-dong, eastern Seoul, where he verbally and physically assaulted them. According to reports, Cho repeatedly slapped employees while shouting, “Do you know who I am?”

He also reportedly kneed an employee in the face, with victims suffering fractured ribs, concussions and other injuries.

Cho initially claimed that the subcontractors were spreading false information and that the altercation involved physical contact by both parties, but later apologized.

“I sincerely apologize for the outrage and disappointment my inappropriate actions have caused,” Cho said in a personally issued statement. “This incident is entirely my fault and cannot be justified.”

“I am well aware that there is no justification for the use of physical force under any circumstances,” he continued. “But I failed to control my emotions in the moment and made an irreversible mistake. I offer my heartfelt apology to those who were hurt by my reckless behavior.”

Cho will resign from his post and withdraw from the company’s day-to-day management, Joyworks&Co announced in a statement on Wednesday.

Hoka has seen rapid growth in Korea amid a nationwide running boom. Joyworks&Co’s accumulated sales from January to October 2025 increased by 34 percent compared to the same period the previous year.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY JANG GU-SEUL [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]