Yoo Ah-in, Suspected of Propofol Use, Also Cut Off by China

"Fashion Brand Considering Contract Termination with Model"

Actor Yoo Ah-in (36, Um Hong-sik) is under police investigation for habitual propofol use, drawing keen attention from China as well.

On the 9th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Narcotics Crime Investigation Unit announced that Yoo Ah-in has been booked and is under investigation for violating the Narcotics Control Act.

Actor Yoo Ah-in [Photo by Yonhap News]

Earlier, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety confirmed that Yoo had repeatedly been prescribed propofol, prompting the investigation. On the 6th, the police collected Yoo's body hair and requested drug testing from the National Forensic Service.

On China's social networking service (SNS) Weibo, posts related to Yoo Ah-in's case surpassed 900 million views on the 9th, ranking among the top 10 trending searches, with numerous comments posted.

Local media such as Xinhua News Agency and Shangyou Newspaper also reported on Yoo Ah-in's propofol use allegations, citing domestic news reports.

Yoo Ah-in has been loved by local Chinese film fans as a distinctive and talented actor. His dramas like "Sungkyunkwan Scandal" (2010) and films such as "Veteran" and "Sado" (2015) gained popularity in China. Despite the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) conflict and the resulting ban on Korean entertainment, Yoo solidified his popularity by serving as a clothing advertisement model. In 2018, he was named one of the top 12 actors of the year by The New York Times (NYT) for his role in director Lee Chang-dong's "Burning."

China, strict on drug-related crimes, quickly began efforts to "erase Yoo Ah-in." Clothing companies that had employed him as a model removed related promotional materials and photos from some Chinese online commerce platforms such as Taobao.

One local media outlet predicted, "There is also a possibility that the Chinese fashion brand Yoo Ah-in models for will terminate their contract."

Yoo Ah-in's agency UAA stated in a press release the previous day, "We are actively cooperating with all investigations and will actively clarify the problematic parts."