Actor Yoo Ah-in has been released after receiving a suspended sentence in his drug case appeal trial. The Seoul High Court overturned the original ruling, which sentenced Yoo to one year in prison, and instead sentenced him to one year in prison with a two-year suspension. The court stated, “Considering the motive, means, and consequences of the crime, as well as the circumstances following the offense, the sentence handed down in the first trial was excessively heavy and unjust.”
Yoo was indicted in October of last year on charges related to administering medical drugs, including propofol, under the pretense of receiving sedation for cosmetic procedures on 181 occasions at hospitals across Seoul between September 2020 and March 2022.
Suspended sentence for Yoo Ah-in
The 39-year-old actor, whose legal name is Uhm Hong-sik, was accused of illegally using propofol, a medical anesthetic, and abusing three other medical anesthetic drugs, including midazolam and ketamine. In September last year, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced him to imprisonment of one year, a fine of 2 million won ($1,400), and a forfeit of 1.5 million won, ordering his immediate detention.
The court’s decision has sparked public interest and discussions about the fairness and consistency of legal sentences in drug-related cases. Yoo’s release comes five months after he was initially detained following the original sentencing.