Actor Yoo Ah-in sentenced to year in prison over drug charges, detained in courtroom

Actor Yoo Ah-in was sentenced to one year in prison on Tuesday for habitually abusing illegal drugs and was immediately put under detention.

The 38-year-old actor, whose latest works include the Netflix dark fantasy series “Hellbound,” faces charges of illegally using propofol, a medical anesthetic, under the pretext of cosmetic procedures on 181 occasions between 2020 and 2022.

Charges against him also include buying about 1,100 sleeping pills with prescriptions under other people’s names, smoking marijuana while in the United States in January, and coercing accomplices to withdraw testimonies against him.

The Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday sentenced the actor, whose legal name is Uhm Hong-sik, to one year behind bars and imposed a fine of 2 million won (US$1,490).

He was immediately detained on the court’s order after standing trial without physical detention.

Prosecutors had demanded a four-year prison term.

In a previous court hearing, Yoo expressed deep remorse for his wrongdoings, adding, “Whatever the (ruling) result may be, I will repay those who took care of me by becoming much healthier and more honest and by living my life as someone who can contribute to society.”