Article: The original Hallyu star BoA summoned by prosecution for smuggling zolpidem
Source: Chosun Ilbo
On the 16th, Seoul Central District Prosecutor's office summoned SM singer BoA (34) for secretly smuggling several psychotropic drugs including Zolpidem from abroad. BoA was caught during customs screening trying to bring in the drugs from Japan through an employee from SM's Japanese branch. The drugs were listed under the employee's name.
An official from the investigation agency stated, "She was caught trying to smuggle drugs into the country after receiving the prescription in Japan. She was caught with several other drugs that are frequently abused including Zolpidem."
Regarding this, SM stated, "it happened because an employee from our Japanese branch got confirmed to purchase the drugs on behalf of BoA in a normal procedure but did not recognize that the drug would be problematic in Korea. It was a mistake due to ignorance of the Japanese branch employee who was attempting to send it in to another employee out of convenience."
Prosecution will determine whether to prosecute BoA after in-depth questioning whether she actually took the medication and intentionally smuggled it to Korea.
- [+3,041, -126] SM is trying to say she wasn't illegally trying to bring it in and that it was a mistake through ignorance but didn't Park Bom claim the same thing too? She said she got a prescription overseas and didn't know it was illegal in Korea. The issue even became quite big in the industry but now SM is talking the same as YG. I doubt she really didn't know.
- [+2,591, -1,010] Zolpidem is a drug used for sleep... Honestly, the public can't predict how difficult it has been for BoA, who debuted at a young age and showed only perfect appearances to the public... why wouldn't she have trouble sleeping? Yes, she deserves hate for smuggling drugs but I'm worried after this news came out that she'll have even more worries now and will need to rely on even more drugs to fall asleep.
- [+1,695, -574] This is the power of the public. Jung Wook Hong's daughter can't even get arrested after smuggling millions of drugs ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ so ridiculous.
- [+1,024, -51] Zolpidem is a drug commonly prescribed for sleep disorders in Korea. Why do you have to bring in prescriptions from Japan? If you talk to your doctor they can get you a prescription right away?
- [+305, -5] From reading other articles it looks like it wasn't just Zolpidem...she smuggled other drugs too.
- [+247, -12] She's a director at SM and didn't know? Nowadays, any anon can search up the internet. And why is she smuggling it under someone else's name? It looks like it's not just Zolpidem on the list of drugs she attempted to smuggle which is problematic on its own? Guys~ ignorance does not excuse you from knowing the lawㅋㅋㅋㅋ it's not like she's illiterate.
- [+172, -15] And yet she innocently sat next to Yang Hyun Suk on Kpop Star preaching to other young aspiring idols and pretended to be someone cool and righteous that succeeded at a young age...only to be smuggling in drugs under someone else's name. BoA-ya...wake up! In this country, there are many people who sleep worse than you from their shops getting shut down and their homes foreclosed on.
- [+23, -1] Make sure you do a thorough investigation of the drugs all the way to the bottom...the result will be amazing to see.