Trending Now: Korean drinking shows face renewed backlash after celebrity DUI sparks debate – Fans React

Actor Lee Jae-ryong’s third drunk driving arrest has ignited public backlash against Korea’s unregulated YouTube drinking shows, exposing a regulatory gap in digital media that critics say glamorizes intoxication.

Police booked Lee on charges of crashing his vehicle into a median barrier and fleeing the scene in Gangnam, an affluent commercial district in southern Seoul, at around 11 p.m. on March 6. His blood alcohol concentration was at a level warranting license suspension at the time of the crash. The actor previously faced drunk driving charges in 2019 and 2023. Following his third offense, he faced widespread public condemnation and stepped down from ongoing projects.

Public anger escalated after Lee recently appeared on the YouTube channel “Zzanbro Shin Dong-yup,” a YouTube talk show built around drinking alcohol on camera. The channel, which has about 2.07 million subscribers, regularly features celebrities engaging in candid conversations over drinks.

Actor Lee Jae-ryong leaves Gangnam Police Station in Seoul after being questioned over hit-and-run DUI charges, March 10. Yonhap

In the episode, the program introduced Lee as a heavy drinker, a framing that drew criticism once news of his latest offense broke. Critics said it was inappropriate for a public figure with a history of drunk driving to appear on drinking content that presents drinking as entertainment. The production team later deleted the video featuring Lee, but the criticism did not subside.

Instead, the backlash broadened into a wider debate over the structure of drinking-focused content online. Critics said such formats rely on intoxication as a comedic device while sidelining the risks associated with alcohol consumption. By packaging alcohol-fueled behavior as entertainment, they argued, these programs risk reinforcing the idea that drinking enhances enjoyment without consequence.

Concerns have grown sharper over the potential impact on young viewers. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, one in three middle and high school students in Korea has consumed alcohol at least once in the past five years.

Critics have also flagged the unfiltered exposure of intoxication across online shows and short‑form videos, particularly as platform age restrictions remain largely ineffective. They warn that presenting drunken behavior as context‑free comedy can skew public perceptions about alcohol, creating an environment that can lower psychological barriers for teenagers, who are especially susceptible to peer influence and imitation.

This concern is backed by recent data. A study by the Korea Health Promotion Institute, an agency under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, reviewed the 100 most‑viewed YouTube drinking videos posted last year. The institute found problematic behavior, including binge drinking and profanity, in 99 of the videos. Only four contained age restrictions or health warning messages, highlighting how platforms expose viewers to provocative entertainment with little effective oversight.

Pop culture critic Kim Hern-sik said alcohol-centered shows often glamorize excessive drinking by presenting it as a sign of relatability. He said the unchecked spread of such content on digital platforms underscores the need for safeguards to limit unfiltered exposure, particularly for minors.

As drinking-focused online formats continue to attract large audiences, Lee’s latest case has sharpened a broader question that extends beyond a single celebrity. Critics say the debate now centers on whether entertainment platforms can continue to rely on alcohol as a draw without confronting the social costs that follow.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.