Suwon FC eventually had a successful season, finishing second in the championship and winning the final play-off against Gyeongnam, thus obtaining their second promotion ever to the top-tier rank of the K League. In these circumstances, although Cho might have not left a very significant mark as an active player, he surely did it off the pitch: in fact, on January 4, 2021, he donated his entire incentive, consisting of 20-million won (roughly corresponding to $18,365), to the club for their sportive achievements in 2020, declaring that the special fee would be invested in their youth development sector. The following day (on January 5), he addressed his donation in a video for his own YouTube channel, explaining what had brought him to that particular decision: moreover, in the same occasion he announced his definitive retirement from professional football at 37 years old.