Korean actor Yoo Ah-in’s drug use allegations continued to pile up with two more substances found in his hair and urine samples collected by authorities.
Since early February, Korean authorities have been investigating Yoo Ah-in, 36, for allegations of drug use.
The star of the films “Seoul Vibe” and “#Alive,” and dramas “Hellbound” and “Chicago Typewriter” immediately returned to South Korea from the US on Feb. 5.
At Incheon International Airport, Yoo Ah-in underwent a urine test and hair collection. He was summoned by the police on Feb. 6 for alleged violation of the Narcotics Control Act.
The Seoul police requested the National Forensic Service to conduct a detailed drug evaluation on the actor. Korean media reported that he tested positive for cannabis in a urine test. He later tested positive for propofol.
This time, Yoo Ah-in tested positive for cocaine and ketamine.
In an exclusive report by Korean media outlet TV Chosun, cocaine was additionally found in Yoo Ah-in’s hair sample analyzed by the National Forensic Service.
He also tested positive for use of ketamine, a “short-acting anesthetic with hallucinogenic effects,” according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration website.
It added that ketamine is abused via “Injected, Liquid mixed with liquids, Powder that is snorted mixed in drinks, or smoked.”
Ketamine produces “hallucinatory effects last 30-60 minutes, Distorts sights and sounds, Induces feelings of calmness and relaxation, relief from pain, Immobility and amnesia, Body feels out of control, Agitation, depression, unconsciousness, Hallucinations, Flashbacks.”
Ketamine was classified as a narcotic in Korea in 2006 due to concerns of misuse and abuse.
"(Cocaine) induces the most changes in the nervous system with a single use, making it the most addictive among narcotics," Jang Ok-jin, director of the Drug Addiction Clinic at Bugok National Hospital in Korea, told TV Chosun.
Korean media reported that according to Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Yoo Ah-in took propofol more than 100 times in two years since 2021.
“Medical professionals must properly adjust propofol dose based on the patient’s weight, always bearing in mind that propofol has a high risk of misuse and abuse. Propofol should not be administered independently without reasons related to surgery, surgical procedures, or medical examinations,” according to a notice issued by the ministry in 2020.
It added, “Also, it is advised that the number of propofol injection for simple surgical procedures does not exceed once every month and that medical professionals check on the patient’s propofol usage history before prescribing.”
The Korean police plan to summon Yoo Ah-in as a suspect next week at the earliest to investigate how he took the drugs, TV Chosun added.