Actor Yoo Ah In, popular for his roles in ‘Burning’ and ‘Hellbound’, has been accused of sexual assault by a 30-year-old man who has also filed a complaint. According to the Korean Herald, the complaint alleges that the incident occurred in Seoul, South Korea, while the man was “sleeping in a unit of a commercial-residential building in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, on July 14.” Refuting the claims, Yoo Ah In’s lawyer, Park Jung Hyun, stated, “The claims in the criminal complaint involving Yoo Ah In are not true. Additionally, we ask that you refrain from unnecessary speculation regarding his personal life.”
The police are currently investigating the matter and have already questioned the man about the case on Thursday. According to Soompi, the man tested negative for drugs, and the police have stated, “We have not yet contacted the accused [Yoo Ah In] about the case. We plan to call him in for questioning soon.”
Furthermore, a Chosun Daily report indicated that the man woke up, realized he had been a victim of rape, and filed a police report the following day.
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The apartment where the incident allegedly occurred was not owned by either Yoo Ah In or the man but by a different individual. Other men were present during the incident. The police are also investigating whether Yoo Ah In, who is already facing charges for habitual drug use, may have committed the alleged crime while under the influence of substances.
For context, Yoo Ah In is facing trial for administering propofol 181 times from September 2020 to March 2022 and for illegally procuring sleeping pills under someone else’s name between May 2021 and August 2022. The prosecution is demanding a four-year imprisonment sentence and a fine of 2 million KRW, along with an additional fine of around 1.5 million KRW. In his final plea, the actor’s defense team requested mercy, emphasizing his ongoing battles with depression and insomnia. They also claimed that a psychiatrist had recommended hospitalization and sedative medications for Yoo Ah In.
Yoo Ah In is primarily popular for his roles in the coming-of-age film Punch (2011), Secret Affair (2014), the hit action film Veteran (2015), and The Throne (2015). He also received widespread acclaim for his performance in the 2018 film Burning, which competed for the prestigious Palme d’Or award at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and became the first Korean film to make it to the final nine-film shortlist for the Best Foreign Language Film award at the 91st Oscars.