Actor Yoo Ah-in has parted ways with UAA, the agency he had been with for 12 years.

According to industry sources, the contractual relationship between Yoo and UAA ended much earlier than the time of this report.

Yoo signed an exclusive contract with UAA in 2014 and maintained a partnership for over a decade. During this period, he reached the peak of his career, appearing in films such as Veteran, The Throne, Burning, Voice of Silence, and The Match.

Recently, UAA has seen both Song Hye-kyo and Yoo Ah-in reach the end of their exclusive contracts, with both actors now going their separate ways.

Rumors regarding Yoo's next agency have also emerged. There is talk that he has been in contact with Galaxy Corporation, which represents artists such as G-Dragon, Kim Jong-kook, and actor Song Kang-ho. It is reported that both sides have held discussions regarding an exclusive contract.

Yoo suspended all activities in early 2023 after his drug use case came to light. He was charged with using medical propofol 181 times between September 2020 and March 2022, illegally purchasing over 1,100 sleeping pills under other people's names on 44 occasions between May 2021 and August 2022, and smoking marijuana in the United States on three occasions in January 2023 with an individual identified as Choi, as well as abetting another person to smoke it. In July of last year, the Supreme Court finalized a sentence of one year in prison, suspended for two years, and a fine of 2 million won.

While it was expected that a return to the entertainment industry would take time, rumors recently surfaced that he might appear in Vampir, a new film by director Jang Jae-hyun, who achieved a "ten-million viewer" success with Exhuma late last year. Director Jang stated, "It is true that I am preparing a new project called Vampir," but drew a line by adding, "It is completely untrue that Yoo Ah-in will be appearing in it."

However, industry insiders believe the possibility of Yoo appearing in Vampir is not low. With the added speculation about a move to a new agency, it appears that his return to the entertainment industry may not be far off.



Reported by Kim Ji-hye | Produced by SBS Entertainment News