South Korean actor Ju Ji Hoon has revived his career with Netflix's hit medical K-drama The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, despite suffering a major blow with the failure of his 2023 film Project Silence. The film, which was expected to mark his comeback, tanked at the box office, even garnering him the worst actor title. But this was not the only setback the actor suffered. Back in 2009, when he was just a rising star, Ju was at the centre of a massive drug scandal that shook the South Korean entertainment industry.
Joo Ji Hoon is witnessing a resurgence in his career, thanks to his recent success with The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call, which has been dominating the Netflix Worldwide Rankings and earning him plenty of praise for his acting skills. With two more big projects reportedly lined up, the actor is reliving what netizens have now dubbed a 'heyday' 2.0. However, amid his rising popularity, some have also dug up his controversy from the past, leaving his new fans shocked.
With his versatility and ability to take on different roles, Ju Ji Hoon is one of the finest South Korean actors. He was born in 1982, the same year as top actors Gong Yoo, Lee Min Ho, Lee Dong Wook, etc. Although, unlike his peers, he started as a model, he soon made a name for himself all over Asia with his role in the 2006 film Goong.
After making a buzz with his debut, Ju quickly became the rookie actor to watch out for; however, his good days were short-lived. Just when he was about to rise to stardom, the actor shocked everyone with an unexpected drug scandal in 2009.
According to a Kbizoom report, he was booked in April 2009 along with 15 suspects and an actress on suspicions of using and storing drugs. While his tests came out negative, the actor himself admitted to drug consumption.
The report added that the Asura: The City of Madness fame admitted to taking ecstasy and ketamine at a party with friends. However, he denied any involvement in transporting or dealing drugs from Japan to Korea. As a result of the scandal, he was sentenced to 6 months in prison, which was suspended for one year, and he was also required to complete 120 hours of community service and pay a fine of 360,000 won.
Following the scandal, Ju Ji Hoon faced significant backlash, including being banned from broadcasts on KBS, one of the major broadcasters in Korea. His roles in ongoing and scheduled projects were replaced, and even his birthday fan meeting in Japan was cancelled.
In addition to the drug controversy, Ju was further criticized for his highly publicized romantic relationship with Gain, a member of the Brown Eyed Girls. After the two broke up in 2017, Gain spoke out about her experiences with propofol and also made a social media post that seemed to reference Ji Hoon's past drug use.
In the post, she mentioned that she was tempted to use drugs due to her unstable mental state and that a friend of her ex-boyfriend had tried to persuade her to do so. Since then, Joo Ji Hoon has kept a relatively low profile in terms of his personal life.
Ju Ji Hoon is on a roll, fresh from the success of his Netflix show The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call. He also made waves with his roles in Love Your Enemy and Light Shop. He's now being considered for another major drama, The Remarried Empress, a fantasy romance based on a web novel. Joining him in talks for this project is Shin Min A, known for her role in Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.
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