Yoo Ah-in even received a ‘surrogate prescription’ for Zolpidem

Police investigating actor Yoo Ah-in's alleged drug use have booked four people around him.

According to the police on the 3rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is currently investigating four people, including Mr. A, who are around Yoo Ah-in. These people were with Yoo Ah-in when he returned from the United States on February 5th, and are suspected of helping him administer drugs or directly administering drugs. Yoo Ah-in's acquaintances are known to be writers and YouTubers who graduated from art school.

The police believe that Yoo Ah-in received prescriptions on his behalf several times through multiple people around him as duplicate prescriptions became difficult, and are investigating about 10 hospitals where Yoo Ah-in over-prescribed propofol or prescribed zolpidem on his behalf.

Zolpidem is a psychotropic medication used for short-term treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia. Because it is addictive, it should not be prescribed or taken in excess of 10 mg per day, and it is recommended to prescribe a maximum of 28 tablets per month per person based on 10 mg. It is managed by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and misuse, like propofol, is subject to punishment.

This year, Yoo Ah-in's movies 'The Victory' and 'High Five', and the drama 'The Fool of the End' were scheduled to be released, but due to his police investigation, it is currently unclear whether those works will be released.

Ryu Ye-ji, Ten Asia Reporter ryuperstar@tenasia.co.kr