The Top Kdrama Issues Of 2013: Part Two
The second case that riveted the attention of drama fans this year involved three kdrama actresses accused of abusing the drug Propofol, the anesthetic implicated in the death of superstar Michael Jackson. Propofol was only classified as an illicit drug in Korea in 2011.
The case raised a very interesting question. Can a person be convicted of abusing a drug if a doctor prescribed and administered it?
In February it became known that the Seoul District Prosecutor's Office was investigating actresses Park Si Yeon, Lee Seung Yeon and Jang Mi Ne for visiting Gangnam cosmetic clinics to obtain the drug.
Park Si Yeon, who starred in "Nice Guy," said she was taking the drug to relieve pain following an injury sustained on film sets. She underwent surgery but the debilitating pain continued. The other two actresses said they were prescribed Propofol to relieve pain after Botox treatments. Prosecutors claimed Park Se Yeon took it 180 times. Jang Mi Ne, who starred in "Missing You," was accused of taking it 95 times, while Lee Seung Yeon, who was a "Miss Korea" winner and starred in the film "3-Iron," took the drug 110 times.
Seven people were charged in the investigation, including two doctors and an entertainment CEO who asked doctors to destroy records. Three nurses were called on as witnesses. According to the prosecution, "The doctors indiscriminately injected the drugs without considering the risks to earn more cash."
During the course of the trial, Park Si Yeon gave birth to her first child. The doctor who initially testified against her, claiming she was dependent on the drug, later recanted his earlier testimony.
The court took a tough stance because evidence indicated that the actresses were addicted.
"The actresses showed dependency on the drug as they asked for extra shots of it and hid the fact that they used it," said the prosecutor's office.
The actresses were sentenced to prison time, two years probation and stiff fines. They may have received harsher sentences because of their celebrity status.
"They forget they are public figures," said the prosecution.
Actress Jang Mi Ne has appealed her sentence. Lee Seung Yeon and Park Shi Yeon, who were charged and sentenced on the same day, have not. Jang Mi Ne's lawyer said that she was not guilty because she was not addicted.
According to the Seoul District Prosecutor's Office, "Jang Mi In Ae said she did not even know what Propofol was, which is not a convincing excuse at all, and she is not sorry for the crime. Although Propofol was categorized as an illicit drug, the abuse and misuse of the drug has not ceased."
