Recently, former TVXQ/JYJ member Park Yoochun uploaded a series of new photos to his personal social media account. The disgraced singer appeared to be “checking in” to his hometown in South Korea, walking and having dinner with his younger brother, Park Yoohwan. Alongside the photos, he wrote, “It’s very cold today, but it’s been fun. Nostalgic memories and a hopeful future.”
This marked his first public appearance in South Korea in about five years. Following the 2019 drug scandal involving chaebol heiress Hwang Hana, Park Yoochun was sentenced to 10 months in prison and faced an overwhelming public boycott. The former top idol famously broke his promise to retire if he tested positive for drugs and would effectively be kicked out of the Korean entertainment industry. Despite this, it continued limited activities in countries such as Japan and Thailand.
However, his return was met with harsh criticism rather than welcome. Many Korean netizens focused on his visibly deteriorated and haggard appearance, and some even wondered whether he had truly stayed away from illegal substances. In particular, a TVReport reporter commented that Park Yoochun’s severely damaged facial condition could be a lingering consequence of drug use. About six years ago, tests conducted by South Korea’s National Forensic Service reportedly detected Philopon, a form of methamphetamine, a substance known to accelerate facial aging, in his system. From this, local media speculated that his current aged and worn appearance could be a long-term effect of his past actions.
The online reactions were merciless. Comments included: “Have you stopped taking drugs? I hear it’s extremely difficult,” “I can’t recognize him anymore, he’s aged so much” “Compared to his former bandmates, it’s alarming” “Why does she keep bleaching her hair when she’s already losing it?” AND “So he stayed abroad for five years? What nationality does he have now?”
Born in 1986, Park Yoochun debuted with TVXQ in 2003 and rose to fame. In 2009, he, along with Jaejoong and Junsu, filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment for what they called “slavery contracts” and later formed JYJ. Despite his initial success, Park Yoochun has since become one of the most controversial figures in K-pop history, long destroying public trust due to his turbulent private life.
In 2016, four women accused him of sexual assault. After months of investigation and intense media coverage, he was eventually acquitted of all charges. However, the controversy has not completely died down. A woman continued legal action against him, while Park Yoochun countersued her for false accusations. Although she was found not guilty, she persisted with a civil suit seeking 100 million won in damages. The court subsequently ordered Park Yoochun to pay over 50 million won in compensation.
His troubles didn’t end there. As well as testing positive for drugs, he became embroiled in further controversies, including tax evasion allegations and shocking claims from a former longtime manager. This former manager claimed that Park Yoochun had more than 50 girlfriends and even lived with a married woman, allegations that caused another wave of public outrage.
After years of incessant scandals, Park Yoochun has actually been blacklisted from Korean broadcasting. His recent appearance in South Korea has only rekindled old wounds, serving as a stark reminder of how far the once-beloved idol has fallen from grace.
