Lee Jae-ryong appearing on the YouTube channel ‘Jjanhan-hyeong’

Actor Lee Jae-ryong is under suspicion of causing a DUI accident.

The Gangnam Police Station in Seoul booked Lee Jae-ryong on the 7th on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Act (including failure to take measures after an accident) and is investigating. He is alleged to have been driving near Cheongdam Station in the Gangnam District of Seoul when he struck a median barrier and then drove off.

Immediately after the crash, without filing a report or taking basic measures, he parked the vehicle at his home and went to the home of an acquaintance, where he was apprehended by police. Subsequently, a breath test reportedly showed his blood alcohol concentration at a license-suspension level. He is said to have told police, “I was not intoxicated at the time.”

Police plan to investigate the exact circumstances of the crash based on black box footage and his movements.

Although he denied the DUI allegation, the fallout is growing because he has twice previously been caught for drunk driving. In 2003, while driving under the influence in the Gangnam District of Seoul, he crashed into another vehicle and had his license revoked, and in 2019 he was booked on a property-damage charge after knocking over and damaging a signboard at a bowling alley in Gangnam due to drunk driving, receiving a suspension of indictment from prosecutors.

Lee Jae-ryong appearing on the YouTube channel ‘Jjanhan-hyeong’

The backlash has been fierce.

Recently, a video on the YouTube channel ‘Jjanhan-hyeong’ featuring Lee Jae-ryong drew attention when it was ultimately deleted amid negative public opinion. In a video released last month under the title ‘Fair one-shots→intoxicated-Lee Jae-ryong Yoon Da-hoon Sung Ji-ru Ahn Jae-wook’, Ahn Jae-wook boasted about drinking capacity, saying of Lee, “Among the actors I know, he holds his liquor the best. I have never beaten him, and I have never seen him drunk.”

However, because both Ahn Jae-wook and Lee Jae-ryong have prior drunk-driving records, the video faced heavy criticism immediately after it was posted. With Lee again detained by police on a DUI allegation, the video appears to have been deleted.

Yoo Ho-jung previously appeared on the SBS program ‘Same Bed, Different Dreams’ and disclosed problems regarding Lee Jae-ryong and alcohol. Broadcast screen capture

The fallout is also reaching actor Yoo Ho-jung, the wife of Lee Jae-ryong. Yoo is currently appearing as psychiatrist Han Seong-mi in the KBS weekend drama ‘I Prescribe You Love’. Her first drama in 11 years had drawn strong support, but the DUI allegation against Lee has even brought back past variety-show moments in which she revealed his drinking problems, eliciting regret.

As a result, critical voices are growing, including: “Drunk driving is a habit,” “Not a drink lover but an alcoholic,” “Yoo Ho-jung is pitiable,” “Is being good at drinking at that age something to boast about?,” “Punish severely,” and “Only the family is pitiable.”

With it revealed that Lee Jae-ryong drove under the influence once again, attention is focused on whether the results of the investigation will place him on the ‘three strikes’ list of celebrities.