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Amid the ongoing drug trial for South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in, popular for his Netflix series Hellbound, it has now been revealed that he has depression, On May 14, 2024, Maeil Business reported that a doctor who had prescribed medications for the actor testified about his declining mental health conditions.
On the same day, the Hellbound actor appeared at the Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Division 25-1 for his fifth hearing. According to sources, new reports of the actor's persistent mental health issues surfaced during the hearing, including his desire to end his own life. Doctor Munja Oh, who testified in court, noted:
"On April 29, 2022, Yoo Ah-in was losing a lot of weight on the day he visited the hospital for the first time in a long time. The urge to die increased. In particular, he said, 'I can't rest,' 'I'm nervous,' 'I can't concentrate,' and 'I'm distracted,' so he also wrote it on the chart. I remember that because of those symptoms, I gave them drugs to control anxiety," Munja Oh said. (as reported by Maeil Business)
TRIGGER WARNING: The article mentions suicide, death, and drug abuse.
More about South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in's ongoing trial for drug abuse
Yoo Ah-in's legal predicament began in 2023 when it was alleged that he had repeatedly obtained medicinal drugs from Seoul hospitals between September 2020 and March 2022. The actor could have used these prescription drugs while claiming they were for aesthetic purposes.
Due to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's report in February 2023 that Yoo Ah-in had bought suspicious amounts of the sedative propofol since 2021, the actor soon became the subject of an investigation.
Later, Korean news source Yonhap alleged that further drug tests revealed the Chicago Typewriter actor had also taken cocaine, ketamine, and marijuana. Apart from the drug accusations, Yoo Ah-in is also accused of obtaining illicit prescriptions for buying thousands of sleeping pills on 44 separate occasions, during each of which he allegedly used false identities to obtain Stilnox and Xanax.
Moreover, he is suspected of coercing four others to use marijuana in the United States and making an effort to destroy evidence pertaining to these actions.
Yoo Ah-in's attorney vigorously refuted the claims pertaining to the use of propofol and the destruction of evidence at the first trial, which took place in December 2023 but conceded to the marijuana-related charges. Due to stringent drug regulations in place in South Korea, citizens who use illegal narcotics may face legal repercussions even if they do so outside the nation.
On May 10, doctor Munja Oh testified that Yoo Ah-in's symptoms kept deteriorating and the actor often mentioned thinking about death.
"Symptoms are getting better and worse and they are repeating themselves. There was also chronic lethargy and depression, and there was also anxiety, anxiety, and lack of concentration. He also said that he always wanted to run away from the drama set - 'I've been thinking about death for a long time'," Munja Oh elaborated.
Yoo Ah-in was previously charged without being placed under arrest with 181 counts of using medicinal substances between September 2020 and March 2022. Korean investigation authority issued a search and seizure warrant against him and raided his Itaewon home in March 2023.
The actor claimed to have obtained sleep anesthetic for cosmetic treatments at Seoul hospitals. Investigations were conducted on the dosages of propofol 9635.7 mL, midazolam 567 mg, ketamine 11.5 mL, and remimazolam 200 mg.
On January 23, 2024, Yoo Ah-in made an appearance at his second drug trial, which put him back in the public eye. According to Maeil Business, a panel of judges led by Chief Judges Park Jeong-gil, Park Jeong-je, and Ji Gwi-yeon oversaw the second hearing, which took place at Seoul Central District Court's Criminal Agreement Division 25-1.
During the second trial, Yoo Ah-in agreed to have used/administered hemp and propofol, but he refuted other counts, which included instructing someone on how to smoke marijuana and destruction of evidence.
Specifically, he admitted to being dependent on prescription medications and stated that he had been treated for several medical procedures as a result of severe depression and anxiety. Yoo Ah-in added that those medicines were given to him in accordance with medical professionals' professional opinions.
However, after the statements by the two doctors who had treated him earlier, the public opinion seemed to have turned to the actor's favor.
