Korean ‘Best Actor’ Yoo Ah In Sentenced to One Year in Prison
Yoo Ah In, the acclaimed South Korean actor who won the prestigious “Best Actor” award, has been sentenced to one year in prison for drug-related offenses. On September 3rd, at the Seoul District Criminal Court, Judge Ji Gwi Yeon handed down a one-year prison sentence, along with a fine of two million won and 80 hours of mandatory drug rehabilitation. Yoo Ah In is currently in custody due to a perceived flight risk and has seven days to appeal the ruling.
Yoo Ah In purchased propofol 181 times between September 2020 and January 2023. The actor also admitted to smoking marijuana at an outdoor pool in Los Angeles, USA, in January 2023. Additionally, Yoo Ah In was found to have purchased 1,150 sleeping pills under another person’s name 45 times between May 2021 and August 2022.
Propofol, a substance that slows down brain and nervous system activity, is commonly used as an anesthetic in surgeries. In South Korea, propofol is classified as a psychotropic substance, similar to a mild narcotic, and its misuse is prohibited. Yoo Ah In was cleared of charges related to encouraging others to smoke marijuana and requesting an acquaintance to destroy evidence on a mobile phone in January 2023, due to insufficient evidence.
The sentence handed down to the actor is lighter than the four-year prison term initially requested by the prosecutor. The court stated, “Considering various circumstances, it appears that he is severely dependent on psychotropic drugs. He has been suffering from sleep disorders and depression for an extended period.”
In addition to Yoo Ah In, six doctors who prescribed excessive amounts of psychotropic drugs (either stimulants or nervous system depressants causing hallucinations) to him have also been prosecuted. All six have received fines and suspended sentences, and they have appealed.
In late July, Yoo Ah In was also accused of sexually assaulting a 30-year-old man while the victim, identified as “A,” was asleep. This case is still under investigation. Yoo Ah In’s lawyer has denied the allegations, urging the public not to speculate about the actor’s private life.
Due to these legal issues, several of Yoo Ah In’s films, including High Five, have been indefinitely postponed. High Five features Lee Byung Hun and Yoo Ah In in lead roles, directed by Kang Hyeong Cheol.
Yoo Ah In, whose real name is Eom Hong Sik, is 38 years old and has been active in the South Korean entertainment industry for 20 years. He is renowned for his versatile acting skills and has shined in both film and television. Movies such as Veteran, Burning, and Secret Affair have elevated Yoo Ah In to A-list status, earning him numerous awards. Notably, with his role in The Throne (2015), Yoo Ah In became the youngest “Best Actor” in the history of the Blue Dragon Film Awards at the age of 29.
