Bragging About "Commendation in Prison"... Jo Joo-bin's 'Doctor's Room' Blog Ultimately Blocked

Proxy Posted Letters on His Behalf; Over 249,000 Visits
Tistory Account Suspended Amid Growing Controversy

Jo Joo-bin (30), the main perpetrator of the Telegram 'Doctor's Room' case, sparked controversy after publicly posting a certificate of commendation he received in prison on his blog, leading to the eventual shutdown of the blog.

Jo Joo-bin, the main perpetrator of the 'Doctor's Room Case.' Photo by Yonhap News Agency

As of March 9, when attempting to access the Tistory blog reportedly operated by Jo Joo-bin, users are greeted with a message stating, "This blog is restricted due to violation of service terms and conditions," along with notice that "Access to this blog is limited." It appears that Tistory's operator, AXZ, has suspended the account. This action seems to have been taken after the post revealing a commendation received by Jo Joo-bin in prison drew widespread attention and controversy online.

Jo Joo-bin was sentenced to 42 years and 4 months in prison by the Supreme Court in October 2021 for operating the Telegram 'Doctor's Room,' where he blackmailed victims, including minors, and produced and distributed sexually exploitative videos. Subsequently, he was sentenced to an additional five years for a separate case involving the rape of a minor and the production of exploitative material, bringing his total sentence to 47 years and 4 months. He is currently serving his sentence at Northern Gyeongbuk Prison No. 1.

Previously, on February 20, a post claiming to be written by Jo Joo-bin was uploaded to the blog in question, which had been created on Tistory. In the post, he disclosed a certificate of commendation he received in prison, stating, "I received this award in recognition of my diligent participation in education over three weeks." He added, "This is not an award that all participants receive, and as a prize, I also received a box of cup noodles."

Capture of Jo Joobin's Tistory blog

The post also included a photo of a certificate signed by the prison warden. The certificate stated that Jo Joo-bin had "excellently completed the 2026 1st Basic Intensive Character Education Course." He also revealed a rolling paper containing messages from fellow inmates in his cell. The rolling paper included messages such as, "It seemed good that you always lived with a positive mindset," and "Stay strong during your sentence."

The blog was reportedly created in January 2024 through a proxy, who would post letters written by Jo Joo-bin in prison. The blog accumulated approximately 249,000 visitors.

As the post spread, criticism mounted online, with comments such as, "It is inappropriate to boast about receiving an award while the victims are still suffering," and, "This comes across as self-glorification rather than reflection."

A rolling paper and a certificate posted on the blog operated by Jo Joo-bin through a proxy. Screenshot from Jo Joo-bin's blog

This is not the first time Jo Joo-bin's prison blog has stirred controversy. In 2021, a post claiming to be written by him appeared on Naver Blog, which was later found through a Ministry of Justice investigation to have been operated by his father. Naver blocked the blog at that time, citing a violation of its operating policy. The following year, another proxy-operated blog appeared, which included posts criticizing Park Ji-hyun, the former standing co-chair of the Democratic Party's campaign committee, who first brought the 'Nth Room' case to public attention. This blog was also blocked. Platform operators are restricting accounts that risk glorifying criminals or justifying crime.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.