'Drugs' Yoo Ah-in, 'Drunk Driving' Kwak Do-won Find Hope (HOPE), But Kick Up Public Anger [Star Issue]

*This content was translated by AI.

'Drug offender' Yoo Ah-in (40, real name Eom Hong-sik) and 'drunk driving' Kwak Do-won (53) were spotted side by side at the VIP screening of director Na Hong-jin's film 'Hope', sparking controversy.

On the afternoon of the 13th, a VIP screening for the film 'Hope' (HOPE) was held at Megabox COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

'Hope' is touted as the most anticipated release of the second half of this year, featuring top actors such as Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, and Michael Fassbender in a lineup under director Na Hong-jin, one of Chungmu-ro's leading directors. Consequently, numerous prominent stars gathered at the VIP screening that day, making the event resemble an awards ceremony.

Even more surprising was the attendance of actors who are rarely seen together. However, it turned out to be ironic that Yoo Ah-in and Kwak Do-won, both with criminal records, appeared together, causing a stir across the online community.

Yoo Ah-in was reported to have attended with director Jang Jae-hyun, who directed the million-viewer film 'Exhuma'. Given that news had already emerged about their collaboration on an upcoming new film titled 'Vampire', mixed reactions followed this pairing. Although Director Jang publicly denied rumors of Yoo's casting last December, his silence regarding recently resurfaced casting reports has created an atmosphere suggesting a reversal. Yoo Ah-in was sentenced to one year in prison in the first trial for habitually administering medical propofol 181 times between September 2020 and March 2022, illegally prescribing over 1,100 sleeping pills under others' names, smoking marijuana in the United States, and inciting others to smoke. He was incarcerated at Seoul Detention Center. In February of last year, he received a one-year prison sentence with a two-year probation period in the second trial and was released after approximately five months. Despite the seriousness of his offenses, his rapid return has drawn criticism toward Director Jang.

In contrast, Kwak Do-won appears to have attended the 'Hope' screening due to his prior collaboration with director Na Hong-jin on the 2016 film 'The Wailing'.

While Yoo Ah-in caused controversy over drug-related charges, Kwak Do-won faced backlash for drunk driving. In September 2022, Kwak was caught by police while driving in a state of severe intoxication with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.158%, far exceeding the license revocation threshold of 0.08% on Jeju Island. The following year, he received a fine of 10 million won and a summary order.

Furthermore, Kwak Do-won only issued an apology three years later in 2025, inviting further criticism. At the time, he stated, "I committed a serious mistake with drunk driving in 2022. I sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt and disappointed by this. I deeply regret not apologizing sooner for my wrongdoing and missing the appropriate timing to express my stance. I will not rush to seek forgiveness. I will prove myself through actions, not words," bowing his head.

Both Yoo Ah-in and Kwak Do-won are similar in that they presented new works without taking time for self-reflection after committing serious crimes. Yoo's post-controversy releases include the films 'The Duel' and 'Haifa Eve', as well as the Netflix series 'Fool of the End'. Kwak's projects include the film 'Firefighter' and the TVING series 'Villains'. Although these were pre-recorded works, they proceeded amid cold public criticism, making it inevitable that public sentiment would turn away. Their attendance at this 'Hope' VIP screening thus highlighted a disconnect between industry insiders and the general public regarding how to view such social controversies. The prevailing negative reaction is "a world of their own."

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.