South Korean Actor and Top Comedian Lee Kyung Kyu Under Investigation for Possible Drugged Driving

One of Korea’s most famous comedians, Lee Kyung Kyu, is currently under police investigation for allegedly driving under the influence of drugs. The situation has stirred public debate, especially since Lee strongly denies any wrongdoing.

According to a report by MBN, the Gangnam Police Station in Seoul booked Lee without detention on suspicion of violating the Road Traffic Act.

On June 8, 2025, around 2:05 PM KST, Lee drove away from an indoor golf practice center in Gangnam in a foreign vehicle that wasn’t his. The car’s actual owner soon filed a car theft report, which led police to intervene. However, it turned out that the mix-up was caused by a parking attendant who mistakenly handed Lee the wrong set of keys.

When Lee returned the vehicle, police conducted a breathalyzer test, which came back negative. But things took a turn when a rapid drug test reportedly came back positive.

Following the incident, Lee firmly denied taking any illegal substances. He explained that he had only taken prescribed medication to treat an illness.

In a phone interview with local media, he shared his side of the story:

I had the flu on the 8th and visited a hospital. It’s also not true that I went to an indoor golf range. I took a urine test and a single line showed up. Because it’s a sensitive medication, I always carry my prescription for panic disorder with me. I showed them the prescription and went home. How could you possibly say someone who’s ill to have been ‘under the influence of drugs’?

Despite Lee’s explanation, police have stated that he could still be in violation of the law. Under current South Korean traffic laws, driving under the influence of drugs—including certain prescribed medications—can be illegal if those drugs impair one’s ability to operate a vehicle safely.

The National Police Agency National Investigation Headquarters commented:

 We are currently in the pre-indictment investigation stage. He claims that he took medication prescribed by the hospital, so we are going to look into it. There are regulations on drugged driving under the Road Traffic Act that state that even if it’s medication that was prescribed normally, you must not drive if there is a risk that you won’t be able to drive due to the effects of the medication.