Former ‘Hellbound’ star Yoo Ah-in granted probation after five months in prison
South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in has been granted probation following five months in prison, after he was sentenced to a year behind bars.
Former Hellbound star Yoo Ah-in was previously indicted for the illegal use of propofol on 181 occasions between 2020 and 2022. He was also found guilty of abusing three other medical anaesthetic drugs, including ketamine and midazolam. The drugs were administered at professional clinics, done under the guise of having cosmetic procedures done.
He was found guilty in September 2024 by a lower court and sentenced to a year in prison along with a fine of KRW2million (approximately £1,220). At the time of his initial sentence, the Seoul District Central Court said Yoo had committed the offences “in disregard of relevant regulations” and displayed a “lack of caution against drug substances”.
The high court, however, ordered for Yoo to be released on February 18. “He was handed out a one-year prison term, suspended for two years and a fine of KRW2million,” an official at the court said, per AFP.
“Considering various sentencing factors such as the motive, method and consequences of the crime, as well as the circumstances following the offence, the court deems the initial ruling heavy and unfair,” said the judge, per court pool reports.
At the time of his initial sentence, prosecutors sought a four-year prison term for the actor. The court denied the prosecution’s suggested prison time, saying that Yoo’s prolonged depression and insomnia was what motivated him to turn to drugs. “Yoo’s honest confession of drug dependency and his efforts to overcome his dependency” were cited as mitigating factors.
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Carmen Chin
NME
