As Yoo Ah In got investigated over charges of illegal drug use, his hard-earned career will be put on a standstill.
Yoo Ah In’s agency, UAA, confirmed on February 8th that Yoo Ah In is undergoing investigation over charges of propofol use. The actor is now banned from leaving the country, and his body hair has been sent for drug use analysis.
Faced with such a serious charge, Yoo Ah In’s glamorous career, one which was hard-earned across many years, may be put on a standstill.
Propofol use is not a new thing in the entertainment industry
Propofol has been classified as a psychoactive drug in Korea since 2011, and using it outside of surgical procedures has become illegal. The drug can also become addictive, causing serious health consequences in case of abuse.
However, many artists take advantage of holes in the medical system to use propofol recreationally, or to reduce stress – something they faced due to extremely demanding schedules. As a result, there have been many cases of propofol abuse accusations in Kbiz, with a prime example being Park Si Yeon, Lee Seung Yeon, Jang Mi In Ae, and Hyun Young. At the time, the four artists’ side denied the allegations, claiming that their propofol use were tightly prescribed by doctors.
In 2019, actor Ha Jung Woo became the next name to face illegal propofol use allegations, with evidence from prosecution. However, the actor also refuted these claims, emphasizing that his propofol injections were all part of a closely-monitored treatment plan.
In 2022, Ha Jung Woo had to pay a fine of 10 million won on the charge of illegal drug use. The actor released an apology, but still maintained that he is innocent.
Ga In, a member of Brown Eyed Girls,also had to pay 1 million won in fines over similar charges. The doctor who provided her with the drug, alongside 3 related individuals, were arrested.
Yoo Ah In’s prospects after drug scandal
Now that Yoo Ah In is being investigated, questions are being raised regarding his future prospects and upcoming projects.
According to The Korea Times, movies and dramas which feature Yoo Ah In may be postponed. Among those are “The Match” and “Hi.5”, which are supposed to be released in May and June 2023, respectively.
At the same time, Yoo Ah In recently finished filming for the Netflix drama “Goodbye Earth”, and is expected to appear in the 2nd season of “Hellbound”. With the drug scandal on going, the actor may be edited out of both projects, or the release date will be further delayed.
Edaily reported that if Yoo Ah In was deemed guilty, he may face up to 5 years of imprisonment and a fine of 50 million won. However, legal officials stated that it will be hard to determine the boundary between non-medical and medical usage of propofol.
In previous propofol use charges, all artists, from Park Si Yeon to Ha Jung Woo, maintained that they were innocent. They also only had to pay a fine, and only the doctor that prescribed the drug will be imprisoned. This is likely the case for Yoo Ah In as well.
Yoo Ah In may walk free, but his reputation will be stained, and investors will be less keen to select the actor for their projects. Whatever the case, Yoo Ah In will lose some of his prestige, but will still be far from his downfall.
There are still many opportunities for the actor to rebound, but heavy consequences can also be expected.
Source: k14
