K-pop sensation Psy, known for his global hit 'Gangnam Style,' is currently under investigation by South Korean police for alleged violations related to the prescription and collection of psychotropic drugs.
According to reports from the police and local media on the 28th, the Seoul Seodaemun Police Station has booked Psy, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, and a university hospital professor identified as Mr. A, on charges of violating medical laws.
Authorities suspect that since 2022, Psy has been receiving prescriptions for psychotropic medications such as Xanax and Stilnox from a top-tier hospital in Seoul without in-person consultations. It is alleged that his manager collected the medications on his behalf. To gather evidence, the police have conducted a search and seizure at the hospital to obtain relevant medical records.
Under South Korean law, psychotropic drugs require in-person consultations and personal collection by the patient. Exceptions for proxy collection are limited to family members or caregivers. While remote prescriptions and proxy collections were temporarily allowed during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in February 2020, the policy reverted to requiring in-person consultations by November 2021.
Psy's agency, P Nation, has acknowledged the proxy collection of the medications, stating, "The proxy collection of prescription sleep aids was a mistake and an oversight." The agency further explained that Psy has been diagnosed with chronic sleep disorders and has been taking the prescribed dosage under medical supervision. They clarified, "There was no proxy prescription under another person's name, nor was there any misuse or overuse of the medication." The agency added, "After receiving remote prescriptions during the COVID-19 period, we continued with remote prescriptions due to Psy's busy schedule, which was a complacent decision."
The police will continue to investigate the potential violations of medical laws by Psy and the prescribing medical staff based on the results of the search and seizure.