Ex-BTOB member Ilhoon in court for marijuana use

Ilhoon, a former member of K-pop group BTOB, could face up to four years in prison on charges of marijuana purchase and use, both of which violate Korea’s Narcotics Control Act for the use of the psychoactive drug.

The South Korean rapper attended his final hearing at the Seoul Central District Court on Thursday, May 20, where he and seven other defendants were put on trial for suspicions of purchasing and smoking about 826 grams of marijuana from July 2016 to January 2019. They allegedly spent over 130 million won (about $115,000) for their drug use.

According to a Soompi report, the prosecutors are demanding that Ilhoon spend four years in prison and pay fines amounting to 133 million won (almost $118,000).

In a statement, defendant Ilhoon, whose full name is Jung Il-hoon, apologized “for disappointing the many people who believed in [him].”

“I’ve reflected on my life until now while going through this incident. Although it is irrevocable, I will keep and remember the pain and realization I gained through this incident and live on without shame,” he added.

lhoon’s lawyer also said that he “is bitterly regretting it” and that he “suffered a great deal of stress while promoting in the entertainment industry as a songwriter and trainee from a young age.” He added that Ilhoon just tried to “relieve the stress in the wrong way.”

The court’s decision on Ilhoon’s sentence is set for June 10. Ilhoon’s first drug trial was in April 2021.

Ilhoon withdrew from BTOB last December and is currently completing his mandatory military service as a public service worker. – Rappler.com