Ju Ji Hun Admits to Drug Use

Update (4/29):

Check out our most recent post on the scandal. Actor-model Im Ju Hwan has been cleared – it was a case of identity mix-up by the press.

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Actor Ju Ji Hun (commonly spelled Joo Ji Hoon) has been booked without physical detention on charges of taking drugs, and admitted to the crime. He is one of a few acting or modelling celebrities who were caught importing drugs from Japan or taking the illegal drugs.

Ju Ji Hun, Yoon Seol Hee, Ye Hak Young

On April 26,the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency filed arrest warrants for movie actress Yoon Seol Hee, 28, and actor-model Ye Hak Young, 26 on the basis of smuggling narcotics into Korea. (Yoon’s and Ye’s full names were not originally released; however, recent articles have identified them.) The police also booked – but not detained – Ju Ji Hun along with two non-celebrity civilians for taking the illegally imported drugs. The police are reportedly charging Ju for two instances in March of 2008 when he took drugs while with the others. All five individuals will be put on trial by the public prosecutor’s office in the beginning of May.

According to the police, Yoon purchased drugs from an acquaintance in Japan and hid them in her underwear to take them illegally through customs. For a year from August 2007, Yoon received 100 million won from selling the drugs to buyers such as Ye. Yoon is suspected of importing 280 tablets of ecstasy and 280 grams of ketamine through 14 trips back and forth from Japan. Ju acquired an amount from Yoon, and proceeded to take some two or three times at Ye’s home in spring of 2008.

A representative of the police agency stated that this is the first time a celebrity has been caught directly importing, selling, and taking narcotics. They suspect that there are others who were involved (financially or through intake), and will continue to investigate the situation.

Yoon has appeared in minor roles in various films such as Tazza and A Good Day for an Affair. Ye most recently participated in the music video for Seo Taiji’s “Juliet”. It is yet to be known how this will impact Ju’s pending Japanese fan meetings and Tokyo Tower drama project.

KP’s note:

For those of you who are thinking, “Drugs – big deal” because you’re so used to reading about Hollywood drug scandals – it’s a huge deal in Korea. Drugs are extremely hard to come by and dealt with harshly under the law.

Originally, Yoon’s and Ye’s identities were not revealed. We suspected that “Ye” was Ye Hak Young – he was part of Men Management with Lee Min Ki, Lee Chun Hee, and other now-famous actor-models.