Ye Hak-yeong (예학영)

By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter

Singer and TV personality Kim Ji-hoon-II was arrested Wednesday for having allegedly taken several pills of ecstasy and smoked marijuana, according to the Seoul Eastern District Court.

This is the second time he has been arrested on drug charges and Kim has reportedly admitted to all suspicions.

According to Gwangjin Police Station, Kim swallowed several pills of ecstasy, prohibited in Korea, in January at a club in southern Seoul. A former fashion model, whose name was not disclosed, is also suspected to have taken drugs with him, the police said.

Kim was first arrested on the same charges in 2005 but did not receive a jail sentence. The most recent charges have put the career of the former lead singer of pop groups "Two Two" and "Duke" at risk.

He has recently appeared in a serie...More

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter

Actor Joo Ji-hoon was given a suspended jail term and community service after he was convicted of illegal drug use.

The Seoul Central District Court sentenced the 27-year-old Tuesday to a six-month prison term suspended for one year, 120 hours of community service and 360,000 won in fines.

Joo was indicted without physical detention last month for taking ecstasy tablets and ketamine at model-turned-actor Ye Hak-yeong's home in Seoul in April last year.

"The drug use of a celebrity like Joo can exert an evil influence on society, because people, especially juveniles, can follow his behavior, and ecstasy and ketamine are relatively cheap and easy to obtain compared with other narcotics", the court said.

"However, we decided to give the suspended term because he took the drugs only on a couple of occasions, has no previ...More

By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter

Entertainers, university students and foreign English lecturers have been caught using drugs in public places, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency (SMPA) Wednesday.

The agency's drug squad said it was seeking arrest warrants for 12 people after booking 72 for using narcotics at clubs in Gangnam and Itaewon.

Following the booking of popular film star Joo Ji-hoon, 27, actress Yoon Seol-hee, 28, and model Ye Hak-yeong, 26, for drug use in April, police apprehended three more entertainers for taking drugs smuggled in f...More

By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter

Several More Top Entertainers on List of Suspects

Police are expanding their investigation into the smuggling and use of drugs involving movie stars and models.

In the latest drug bust of entertainers, police booked popular film star Joo Ji-hoon, 27, on suspicion of drug use and arrest warrants were sought for actress Yoon Seol-hee, 28, and model Ye Hak-yeong, 26, for alleged smuggling ecstasy tablets and ketamine into the country from Japan. Two other residents were booked on similar suspicions.

"Besides the suspects on the list we have secured, there are likely more, given the amount of drugs smuggled. Further investigations are unavoidable", an officer of the Seoul Metropolitan Policy Agency said.

Police officiers said the entertainers appear to have been tempted to use drugs on assumption that that ecstasy and other drugs kill the appetite, helping them reduce their weight. Ecstasy is a mildly hallucinogenic amphetamine and the most popular illegal drug in Korea, while ke...More

By Kwon Mee-yoo
Staff Reporter

Two actors and an actress, including renowned movie icon Joo Ji-hoon, 27, were booked for smuggling and taking illegal drugs Sunday.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency drug squad also requested arrest warrants for actress Yoon Seol-hee, 28, and model-turned-actor Ye Hak-yeong, 26, who smuggled drugs from Japan. Ju admitted to taking narcotics on a couple of occasions around March, police said.

Joo and another two people were booked without physical detention for taking the drugs. Debuting in the hit 2006 drama "Princess Hours", Joo recently starred in the movies "Antique" and "The Naked Kitchen".

The...More