Yoo was immediately taken into custody following the sentencing. The verdict came out after the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office sought a four-year prison term for Yoo in July.
The court said, "Despite warnings from medical professionals, Yoo continued to use sedatives and even smoked marijuana, indicating a lack of awareness about the dangers of drug use." The judges emphasized that Yoo's severe dependence on these substances suggested a significant risk of reoffending.
The court attributed Yoo's long-standing struggles with insomnia and depression to his drug use, stating that his inability to sleep primarily drove his reliance on these substances. But the court also said that Yoo had been making efforts to overcome his addiction.
The 38-year-old actor had been under investigation since October 2022, along with 50 others, for irregular drug use. An investigation by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in February 2023 found traces of his reliance on propofol, marijuana, and another unidentified illegal substance. He used propofol more than 181 times between September 2020 and March 2022, and subsequent drug tests revealed additional illegal use of ketamine and remimazolam.
Yoo's acquaintance, a man in his early 30s surnamed Choi, who was also charged with smoking marijuana with the actor, received an eight-month prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 40 hours of a drug treatment program.
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