Top Korean actor Yoo Ah-in under investigation for alleged illegal use of propofol drug

South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in, 36, currently has an overseas travel ban imposed on him. Photo: Handout

South Korean actor Yoo Ah-in is currently under police probe for the alleged illegal use propofol, a powerful sleep-inducing drug commonly used in surgeries, Korean media reported Wednesday (Feb 8).

According to reports, a drug crime investigation unit from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency brought Yoo in for questioning on Monday after the Ministry Of Food And Drug Safety alleged that his prescription purchases were "too frequent".

For the record, a study published by the National Library Of Medicine states that propofol has been classified as a controlled substance in South Korea since 2011 due to its abuse potential, and is illegal to use outside of surgical procedures.

Police officials also confirmed that they had sent the actor's hair samples to the National Forensic Service for drug testing. The 36-year-old has an overseas travel ban imposed on him at the moment.

Shortly after news about the Secret Affair star's investigation surfaced, Yoo's management, United Arts Agency, released a short statement confirming the situation.

As translated by Soompi, the statement reads as follows: "Yoo Ah-in recently underwent police investigation regarding the propofol issue. He is actively cooperating in all investigations at the moment and we plan to proactively address any concerns that are of issue. We apologise for causing worry."

Yoo made his acting debut in 2004 with the teen series, Sharp. He has since starred in multiple hit shows such as Sungkyunkwan Scandal in 2010 and #Alive in 2020.

According to The Korea Times, the actor was initially set to film for the second season of Netflix's Hellbound in June. However, its schedule may be changed due to the ongoing investigation.