Former celebrity couple back in the spotlight: Hwang Hana jailed again, Park Yoo-chun appears gaunt

Hwang Hana, left, and Park Yoo-chun / Xportsnews

A former celebrity couple once at the center of Korean entertainment gossip — singer Park Yoo-chun and influencer Hwang Hana — has drawn renewed public attention after Hwang was arrested again on drug-related charges while Park appeared in Japan looking visibly aged and frail.

The Suwon District Court’s Anyang branch issued an arrest warrant for Hwang on Friday after a detention hearing on charges of violating Korea’s Narcotics Control Act. Presiding Judge Seo Hyo-jin said there was “concern over the destruction of evidence,” explaining the decision to detain her.

Hwang arrived at the courthouse wearing a mask and cap, fully covering her face, and dressed in a long khaki padded coat. The outfit itself became a talking point after local media reported that the coat was a Rick Owens luxury brand item priced at around 3 million won ($2,200) to 4 million won, fueling debate online over the contrast between her ongoing criminal case and her fashion choices.

According to SBS' “8 News,” Hwang was under investigation for methamphetamine use when she fled overseas and continued living abroad. She reportedly returned to Korea voluntarily after citing responsibility for a child she recently gave birth to in Cambodia.

Prosecutors say Hwang injected methamphetamine into two acquaintances in Seoul in July 2023. She left for Thailand that December while still a suspect in the case.

Hwang Hana / Yonhap

Hwang has a long history of drug convictions. In 2015, she received a suspended prison sentence for habitual methamphetamine use along with her then-boyfriend Park Yoo-chun, a former member of K-pop group JYJ. In 2020, she was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison for another drug offense while still on probation.

As Hwang faces detention once again, Park’s recent activities have also resurfaced in the public eye. On Friday, he held a photo book signing event at a major bookstore in Tokyo. Photos from the event circulated online, showing him appearing noticeably thin and older compared to his idol-era image.

Park was convicted in 2019 for methamphetamine use and received a 10-month prison sentence suspended for two years. In December 2023, he was also listed among Korea’s high-value habitual tax delinquents. With his domestic career effectively halted, he has continued to work mainly in Japan and Thailand.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.