Seoul, May 25 (IANS) Yoo Ah-in, last seen in the Netflix series ‘Hellbound’, as well as in ‘Burning’ and ‘The Throne’, was attacked by a disgruntled fan with a bottle of coffee after a court here on Wednesday late night dismissed police requests for the formal arrest of the prominent Korean actor on drug use charges, reports ‘Variety’.
Yoo appeared at the Seoul Central District Court on charges that he used five different drugs, says ‘Variety’. Local media photos showed Yoo’s hands were tied with what appeared to be a blue cloth or cord before and during his 90-minute daytime court appearance.
Footage also showed that he was hit by a bottle of coffee thrown by a disgruntled fan, before being led away, unhurt, by bodyguards. Recreational drug use is illegal in South Korea and is heavily stigmatised.
Yoo, ‘Variety’ says, admitted to the recreational use of marijuana and claimed he took Propofol, Ketamine and Zolpidem, which can all be perceived as sleep aids, for medical reasons. He has denied use of cocaine and allegations that he destroyed evidence.
Yoo’s dramatic downfall, whether temporary or long-term, also represents significant disruption to the film, TV and streaming industries where the actor has been highly in demand.
The Netflix movie ‘The Match’, in which he faced off against Lee Byung-hun, is completed but no longer has a release date, according to ‘Variety’. Yoo is also on board the Netflix series ‘Goodbye Earth’, which was previously scheduled for streaming in the fourth quarter of this year.
A Netflix spokesman confirmed to ‘Variety’ that both projects are currently “postponed”.
Yoo was also at one stage attached for a second season of ‘Hellbound’. However, according to ‘Variety’, the streamer has said the Jung Jin-su character previously portrayed by Yoo has since gone to Kim Sung-cheol.
–IANS
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