Actor Lee Jae-ryong was arrested after allegedly causing a drunk-driving crash and leaving the scene, police said. The case has also drawn renewed attention to his recent appearance on the YouTube channel “Soolhanhyung Shin Dong-yup,” and has cast a shadow over the return of his wife, actor Yoo Ho-jung.
According to Seoul’s Gangnam Police Station, Lee drove while intoxicated and struck a median near Samseong Jungang Station at about 2 a.m. on March 7. Police said he then left the scene, parked the vehicle at his home and stayed at an acquaintance’s residence before being arrested.
He is being investigated on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Act, including failing to take required measures after an accident. His blood-alcohol level at the time of arrest was high enough to warrant a license suspension, police said.
Lee previously had his license revoked in 2003 after refusing a breath test following a drunk-driving accident. In 2019, he received a deferred indictment after damaging a signboard while intoxicated, on suspicion of property damage.
Online commenters have since revisited an episode from last month in which Lee appeared with fellow actors. In the program, actor Ahn Jae-wook said Lee had the highest alcohol tolerance among actors he knows, adding, “I’ve never beaten him, and I’ve never seen him drunk.”
Ahn also recalled thinking when he was younger, “How can someone drink like that?” and said Lee stayed composed even after multiple rounds of drinking.
Because Ahn has also faced controversy in the past over two drunk-driving incidents, some viewers criticized the show, saying a program centered on drinking should not feature people with drunk-driving histories. Some have called for the video to be removed, but the production team has not taken action, according to the report.
“Soolhanhyung Shin Dong-yup” is a channel in which broadcaster Shin Dong-yup drinks with guests while sharing candid conversations. It has about 2.07 million subscribers.
Lee’s case has also affected Yoo, who is appearing in the KBS2 weekend drama “I Prescribe Love.” Yoo returned to television after 11 years, but the report said she now faces negative fallout from her husband’s incident. Lee and Yoo married in 1995 and have a son and a daughter.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.