Yoo Ah-in

Following an initial appearance at a film premiere in July 2026, Yoo's return materialised in August with confirmation of his participation in the film Vampir, filming for which was due to begin while he remained subject to his suspended sentence. The comeback prompted public debate over the length of his withdrawal from the industry following his conviction.

State of the evidence

Confirmed

Attribution

Directly implicated

Yoo was prosecuted for receiving medical anaesthetics and narcotics on 181 occasions between 2020 and 2022, obtaining approximately 1,100 sleeping tablets under other people's names and smoking cannabis in the United States. Following an immediate custodial sentence at first instance and a reduced sentence on appeal, the Supreme Court definitively upheld in July 2025 a one-year prison sentence suspended for two years and a fine of 2 million won.

State of the evidence

Established by a court

Attribution

Personally implicated

In July 2024, a man filed a complaint alleging that Yoo had sexually assaulted him while he was sleeping in a Seoul apartment. Yoo was questioned and both men underwent drug tests.

Attribution

Directly implicated

After several postponements and five medical examinations, Yoo Ah-in was exempted from military service in 2017 because of shoulder injuries and a bone tumour. The repeated reassessments and eventual exemption prompted online suspicions and accusations of avoiding military service.

State of the evidence

Documented

An online joke by Yoo involving an image of a courgette triggered a dispute lasting several days with internet users who accused him of misogyny. Yoo posted numerous replies, some aggressive, and the debate expanded to feminism, freedom of expression and celebrities' behaviour on social media.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

No legal proceedings

Attribution

Personally implicated