Actor Lee Jae-ryong is under police investigation over a suspected DUI crash, marking the biggest crisis of his 40-year acting career. He initially claimed he was not intoxicated when stopped, but more recently, through his legal representative, reversed course and said he had “four shots of soju” before the incident―prompting suspicion he’s angling for a lighter sentence.
Seoul’s Gangnam Police Precinct is investigating Lee for alleged violations of the Road Traffic Act, including failure to take action after an accident. According to police, around 11 p.m. on the 6th, Lee allegedly hit multiple median barriers in succession while driving near Cheongdam Station in Gangnam-gu, then left the scene without taking any measures. About a dozen median barriers were reportedly damaged.
After the crash, Lee parked his car at his home and went to an acquaintance’s residence, where police apprehended him. His blood alcohol content at the time of testing was reportedly at license-suspension level. Lee initially told police he hadn’t been drinking when he drove and only drank later at the acquaintance’s home. However, per a JoongAng Ilbo report, Lee told police the next day that he had “four shots of soju before the crash.” He also reportedly said he thought he had only “lightly grazed” the median.
The severity of the crash and his shifting statements sparked allegations that Lee attempted “sulta-gi,” or post-crash “alcohol loading”―drinking after an accident to muddy the blood alcohol level at the time of driving. The practice has become a social issue amid recent DUI hit-and-runs, and starting in 2025, drinking after a crash to interfere with testing is classified as a crime under the Road Traffic Act.
Lee’s side pushed back, saying he did not drink to obstruct the test and was simply attending a pre-planned engagement. Police are reviewing dashcam footage and nearby CCTV to determine whether he was intoxicated at the time of the crash. They also plan to use the Widmark formula―which estimates blood alcohol concentration based on a person’s body condition, amount consumed, and the time elapsed―to reconstruct events.
Lee debuted in 1986 and marks his 40th year of acting in 2026. The incident has revived past clips and comments related to his drinking. A YouTube video from the channel “Zzanbro,” which he appeared on, is now set to private. Additionally, stories resurfaced of his wife, actor Yoo Ho-jeong, saying on a past broadcast that the couple once argued frequently over his drinking and even lived apart for a time.
Lee also refused a breath test after a DUI crash in 2003, resulting in his license being revoked. Police plan to summon him again soon to investigate the exact circumstances of the crash and whether he was driving under the influence.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)