Ha Jung Woo Indicted for Unauthorized Propofol Use in Gangnam Clinic, Pays Fine and Issues Apology

I think this case has many different elements at play so how you react depends on what issues you find more problematic. Top movie actor Ha Jung Woo was being investigated last year by the Gangnam police for unauthorized use of the anesthetic propofol at a Gangnam clinic, including using a false identity to procure it. The investigation has wrapped up with a summary indictment issued by the Seoul Prosecutor’s Office including paying a 100 million won fine. That basically says he did use it illegally/not authorized but it’s not a big offense so he’s getting a slap on the wrist especially since he plead out. Propofol is a fast sleep inducing anesthetic that is used only in medical settings, hospitals and clinics with outpatient surgery, that puts the patients to sleep fast and deep before another anesthetic is added to keep the patient under for the duration of whatever procedure is being performed. Propofol is often abused for people suffering insomnia or want the deep sleep feel. Ha Jung Woo’s agency claims he used Propofol for dermatology procedures for his deep acne scar removal, he didn’t need to be put under but did so because of the discomfort of the procedure. The initial allegations and scoop was that he used it because he has trouble sleeping so would go to the clinic and get Propofol to sleep. At the end of this day, this is a powerful anesthetic with only medical license administered use so tread lightly and don’t take chances as there is always a likelihood of not being able to wake up.


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Ha Jung Woo Indicted for Unauthorized Propofol Use in Gangnam Clinic, Pays Fine and Issues Apology — 10 Comments

  1. Pingback: Ha Jung Woo Indicted for Unauthorized Propofol Use in Gangnam Clinic, Pays Fine and Issues Apology - Kpopnchill - All About K-pop News

  2. This reminds me of Park Si yeons propofol scandal, which ended her up in jail. I actually really liked her in her earlier works, e.g. My Girl and Innocent Man, and wonder what her career would have been like if it was not derailed by substance abuse.

    • Park Si Yeon was my first thought too – such a talented actress, I loved her in Coffee House and loved to hate her in Innocent Man but that propofol indictment really tanked her rise.

      But I think PSY’s issues are serious and ongoing considering she had a DUI earlier this year. It’s just good luck that she didn’t kill anyone, drunk driving is not a choice I can ever support. I hope she gets treatment but I can’t call myself a fan any more.

      • I tend not to care much about artistes’ troubled personal lives, but I think it’s hard to be a fan anymore because she has had so little work in the past years.

        The last few dramas she headlined seem lacklustre, and had middling to low reception and reviews. I think Nice Guy was her last high-profile project. After that, things nosedived with her Propofol scandal, divorce and now DUI. Probably after that, it’s hard to cast her in bigger productions.

        I’d give her another chance if she’s cast in an interesting project, but I think her career is nowhere near where she was a decade ago.

  3. I’m an insomniac and I can understand their desperation for a good night’s sleep. I hope they get the help they need.

  4. Waow being a famous male actor helps a lot… It would be an actress and she would have been exiled. 2NE1 Park Bom suffered so much for nothing.

  5. Another case of discrimination, a top male star ( i do like all his works) will pursue his career as nothing happened , but see what happened to Park Si Yeon she couldn’t recover from this and see now, she was indicted for DUI , Park Bom suffered so much , …SO UNFAIR . Yoon Eun hye stills paying for a plagia that wasn’t proved ,but he used a false identity and it’s not big deal . SIGH

    • @cahill – Yoon Eun Hye’s case makes me actually a little bit angry, the so called “plagiarism” design wasn’t even from the opportunistic designer who called her out. From what I saw, she had indicated her inspiration sources, but the damage was done :/

      It still annoys me she’s been all but exiled from the industry over daring to be a little sassy in her reply to someone trying to take advantage of her fame, while male stars who were nowhere near her at her peak+ been accused of rape just have to say “I’m sorry” once and that’s it, the victim is declared a gold-digger and they’re back to work in even lead roles and have powerful networks pulling for them.

  6. Yep, my first thought on this was the brazen double standard – crucify the female actors, give the male a slap on the wrist. Le sigh!

  7. Korean society is really patriarchal. Female celebrities are the only one suffering so much after scandals but aside from the ML of Kim Sohyun, i forgot the name.

    However, insomnia is also a kind of mental illness so it is really hard to blame people like HJW in using dosage above the limitation legally prescribed by government.

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