Yoo Ah-in faces a 4-year prison sentence

The investigation into South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in's drug use has concluded, with the celebrity facing up to four years in prison and fines totalling about 3.5 million won. Here is a recap of what happened.

South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in is the latest Korean celebrity to be under scrutiny for a drug scandal. Allkpop reports that his doctor has come forward to add that the actor has been suffering from severe depression, which has led to his drug use.

Yoo Ah-in is a South Korean actor. He is considered one of the country’s most prolific stars, as he managed to land second place on Forbes' Korea Power Celebrity List in 2016.

Yoo Ah-in was born on October 6, 1986, in Daegu, South Korea.

His birth name was Uhm Hong-sik, but he goes by his stage name instead. 'Her World' reports that his manager found his birth name too traditional for the entertainment scene.

Yoo Ah-in's beginnings in the industry started when he was scouted on the street, reports Star Today. Did you know that he was also once scouted to be a K-pop idol?

According to Newsen, Yoo Ah-in got his first acting job in the KBS2 drama 'Sharp'. This gained him popularity, which led to more roles in several other dramas, such as 'April Kiss'.

However, Yoo Ah-in decided to go on a hiatus later due to being confused about what to do with his popularity and whether he should pursue acting seriously… which he eventually did, reports Yonhap News.

Fast forward: Yoo Ah-in has become one of K-entertainment’s most sought-after and influential actors, with winning more than 30 accolades for his acting work.

Some of Yoo Ah-in’s most famous works include 'Sungkyunkwan Scandal', 'Veteran', 'The Throne', and the latest, 'Hellbound'.

Image: Netflix

Unfortunately, in October 2023, Yoo Ah-in was embroiled in a drug scandal, as were several other Korean celebrities such as Lee Sun-kyun and G-Dragon, reports Forbes.

Image: hongsick / Instagram

The Korea Herald added that Yoo Ah-in had been under investigation for illegal use of propofol, an anesthetic drug. Eventually, however, he was discovered to have taken grass too, as well as other hard drugs, in March 2024.

Drug use is heavily frowned upon in South Korean society, and this has led to severe consequences for Yoo Ah-in’s career.

Image: hongsick / Instagram

The Straits Times reports that Yoo Ah-in’s involvement in ‘Goodbye Earth’ has been halted despite his role being a major one in the series. He has also been dropped from the next installment of 'Hellbound'.

Image: Netflix

According to Allkpop, Yoo Ah-in's psychiatrist testified that the actor was prescribed psychiatric substances in 2021 due to severe depression caused by work-related stress. He therefore implied that the star's drug use began due to poor mental health and worsened later.

It is unclear how the case will conclude. Nowadays, there's more awareness of the relationship between celebrities' mental health and work stress, as well as the use of substances following these circumstances.

K-entertainment has already received negative press as a result of Lee Sun-kyun's drug scandal, which led to the actor's death. The demise of his colleague, combined with what we know about his mental health, may change the way Yoo Ah-in's case is handled.

In a July 2024 update on his case, Allkpop says that the prosecution has proposed that Yoo Ah-in face a four-year prison sentence and fines of over 3.5 million. However, the actor's lawyers aim to appeal for leniency in the sentencing, citing the actor's mental health and willingness to commit to sobriety.

However, the final result of the sentencing for the case against Yoo Ah-in will only be announced on September 3, JTBC reports.