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Yoo Ah-in, on trial for drug use, nominated for Best Actor at Directors Cut Awards

Published: 22 Apr. 2025, 17:52

Actor Yoo Ah-in walks into the first trial on drug charges at the Seoul Central District Court in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on Sept. 3, 2024. [NEWS1]

Actor Yoo Ah-in, who is currently on trial for habitual drug use, has been nominated for Best Actor at the 23rd Directors Cut Awards.

The Directors Guild of Korea (DGK) announced the nominees for the upcoming awards ceremony on Tuesday, which is set to take place on May 20.

The Directors Cut Awards are determined by votes from Korean film directors, recognizing achievements in categories such as Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best New Director and the Vision Award for independent films, as well as Best Actor, Best Actress, Best New Actor and Best New Actress.

Yoo was nominated for his role in “The Match,” alongside Robert Pattinson for “Mickey 17,” Yoon joo-sang for “The Land of Morning Calm” (2024), Lee Byung-hun for “The Match,” and Choi Min-sik for “Exhuma” (2024).

Nominees for Best Actress include Kim Go-eun for “Love in the Big City” (2024) and “Exhuma,” Kim Jae-hwa for “Blesser” (2023), Shin Hye-seon for “Following” (2024), and Yang Hee-kyeong for “The Land of Morning Calm.”

In “The Match,” directed by Kim Hyung-ju, Yoo portrays Go prodigy Lee Chang-ho, who becomes a rival to his mentor, Cho Hun-hyun, played by Lee Byung-hun.

After completing filming, Yoo was indicted on charges of habitual drug use. He was initially sentenced to a year in prison last September but was released in February after an appeals court reduced his sentence to a one-year term suspended for two years.

“The Match” was originally slated for release on Netflix in 2023 but was delayed due to Yoo's indictment. The film was eventually released in theaters on March. 26 and has since attracted more than two million viewers.

Despite being one of the film's two leads, Yoo has been absent from all promotional materials, including events, posters and trailers.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.

BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]