Disgraced actor Park Yoochun, who was expelled from the Korean entertainment industry following a drug scandal, is set to make a controversial comeback in Japan.
According to Japanese outlet Natalie, Park Yoochun will appear in the upcoming Tokyo MX drama “The Greedy Woman and the Man with a Past” (욕심 많은 여자와 사연 있는 남자), premiering in December 2025.
The three-part romantic comedy follows a man whose life spirals out of control after facing workplace sexual harassment accusations, forcing him to take a job managing a share house where he encounters unexpected love and redemption.
Park Yoochun’s return comes just three months after his last project, “Momono Uta,” also aired on Tokyo MX in September.
What has drawn even more attention, however, is his co-star — Taguchi Junnosuke, a former member of KAT-TUN, who himself was convicted of marijuana possession and use in 2019 alongside his then-girlfriend Rena Komine.
Taguchi was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and later announced his temporary retirement from entertainment. Despite his pledge to step away, he was later spotted working at a host bar, reigniting public criticism.
Now, “The Greedy Woman and the Man with a Past” marks Taguchi’s first terrestrial TV appearance in 11 years, and his on-screen reunion with Park Yoochun — another figure associated with drug controversy — has sparked heated discussion across Asian media.
Park Yoochun was arrested in 2019 for purchasing and using methamphetamine with his then-girlfriend Hwang Hana, the granddaughter of Namyang Dairy Products’ founder.
At the time, Park Yoochun tearfully held a press conference proclaiming his innocence, saying, “I stake my career on this — I have never used drugs.” However, he later admitted to the charges, resulting in a 10-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
Following his release, Park Yoochun was banned from Korean television and effectively blacklisted from domestic entertainment. Though he initially announced his retirement, he reversed his decision and resumed activities overseas — mainly in Thailand and Japan — through fan meetings, independent films, and music projects.
Park Yoochun’s reappearance on Japanese TV has been met with mixed responses. While some fans in Japan have expressed support for his new start, many Korean netizens criticized the move, calling it “an insult to viewers” and “a desperate overseas comeback after disgrace.”
Industry insiders note that Japan’s entertainment market tends to be more forgiving toward rehabilitated figures, but the pairing of two former drug offenders in a romantic comedy has nonetheless stirred public discomfort.
As “The Greedy Woman and the Man with a Past” gears up for its December premiere, questions remain over whether Park Yoochun’s attempt at international redemption will succeed — or merely reopen old wounds.
Sources: Sports Chosun,Tokyo MX,Natalie Japan
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