Will Yoo Ah-in finally open his mouth at the photo line amidst the outcry from fans and colleagues?

What would actor Yoo Ah-in (real name Um Hong-sik, 36) say while standing in the photo line? It seems that Yoo Ah-in's tightly shut mouth will finally open in front of the police photo line.

At a regular press conference held at the police headquarters in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul on the 6th, Police Commissioner Yoon Hee-geun said, "We expect to investigate the subject (Yoo Ah-in) soon." He added, "The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is conducting an investigation. We are analyzing the medical records of the subject and investigating hospital and clinic officials."

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety found that Yoo Ah-in administered 4,497 mL of propofol 73 times from January 4, 2021 to December 23, 2021, and requested the police to investigate. Accordingly, the police executed a search and seizure warrant for Yoo Ah-in's body at Incheon International Airport on February 5 and collected body hair and urine. As a result of the National Institute of Forensic Science analysis, narcotic substances such as propofol and marijuana, as well as cocaine and ketamine, were detected in Yoo Ah-in's hair.

The charges against Yoo Ah-in, which initially began with suspicions of habitual use of propofol, have expanded to include marijuana, cocaine, and ketamine, and are continuing to escalate. The types of drugs administered are increasing, and the number and amount of drugs administered, such as propofol, are being disclosed, revealing that Yoo Ah-in habitually took drugs and was heavily dependent on them, which is shocking.

The butterfly effect of Yoo Ah-in's drug scandal is still ongoing, and it is too early to estimate the extent of the damage. First of all, the biggest victim is Netflix. This year, Yoo Ah-in was set to release two works on Netflix alone, including the movie 'The Victory' (directed by Kim Hyeong-joo) and the series 'The Fool of the End' (screenplay by Jeong Seong-ju and director Kim Jin-min).

Among them, 'Seungseob' is in the public lineup for the upcoming second quarter. Setbacks were inevitable due to lead actor Yoo Ah-in's drug-related issues. 'The Battle' is a movie depicting the inevitable match between two legends of Korean baduk, Jo Hoon-hyeon (Lee Byung-hun) and Lee Chang-ho (Yoo Ah-in), who were teacher, disciple, and rival. Lee Byung-hun, the lead actor in 'The Victory', also suffered damage due to Yoo Ah-in's drug charges. ‘The Fool of the End’, which was scheduled to be released this year, is also suffering from headaches.

In particular, Yoo Ah-in was scheduled to appear in 'Hell 2' following his previous Netflix series 'Hell' (directed by Yeon Sang-ho), but as the drug scandal broke out, Netflix quickly changed the cast. Actor Kim Seong-cheol will fill Yoo Ah-in's position.

The movie 'High Five' (directed by Kang Hyeong-cheol), which is scheduled to be released on the big screen, is also expected to have a prolonged drug-related issue with Yoo Ah-in, and it is also difficult to avoid the aftereffects.

Yoo Ah-in has remained silent regarding this drug scandal. The public is reacting with frustration at the silence of Yoo Ah-in, who had previously garnered attention by reacting sensitively to social issues big and small and expressing his convictions. There were groans not only from the public and fans, but also from colleagues, senior and junior actors.

Actor Kim Young-woong, who appeared in 'The Fool of the End', recently said, "How can I express this? The happy phone call with the casting news and the heart-fluttering memories of the first filming are all about to go to waste." At the same time, he targeted Yoo Ah-in and said, "If his wrong actions are true, he is definitely a target of criticism. I have no intention of supporting or defending him. Of course, there has to be a price," he said. “It’s just a shame that the upcoming ‘Fool of the Apocalypse’ will never see the light of day,” he wrote.

Actor Hyun Bong-sik, who played in 'The Victory', wrote, "I feel a mixture of sadness and regret. I want to see the movie 'The Victory'. I really want to see it. This time, it's not a lie."

Despite these outcries, Yoo Ah-in remains silent, but as the police have announced that they will summon him for investigation in the near future, it is expected that we will see him standing in front of the photo line. What attitude and what will Yoo Ah-in say when he stands in front of the photo line? Many people are looking at his mouth.

Choi Ji-ye, Ten Asia Reporter wisdomart@tenasia.co.kr