Korean Star Caught Using Drugs In Prison While Serving 7 Year Term For Previous Drug Use

Former K-hip hop contestant and rising star is facing additional legal troubles after testing positive for controlled substances while already in custody for previous drug charges.

Yoon Byung Ho, better known to fans as Bully Da Bastard from the popular TV show High School Rapper 2, has received a new suspended sentence after authorities discovered he was using prescription drugs illegally while detained at Incheon Detention Center.

The 23-year-old artist, who was already facing serious drug charges, was found to have consumed unauthorized psychotropic medications, including diazepam, lorazepam, and zolpidem, during his detention in August 2022. When confronted, Yoon claimed innocence, suggesting someone had secretly drugged him without his knowledge. The court dismissed this defense, noting it was highly improbable for someone to be involuntarily drugged within the secure facility.

The Suwon District Court has handed down an eight-month prison sentence, two-year suspension, and mandatory attendance at drug prevention lectures. The presiding judge acknowledged the serious nature of using illegal substances while already under trial for drug offenses but considered mitigating factors in the sentencing.

This latest conviction adds to Yoon’s existing legal troubles. The former TV star is currently serving a seven-year prison term (confirmed in December 2023) for multiple drug-related offenses spanning from 2018 to 2022. These charges included the purchase, possession, and use of various illegal substances, ranging from marijuana to fentanyl and methamphetamine.

The case has drawn significant attention in South Korea, where drug offenses are treated with particular severity and public figures are held to high standards of conduct.