Nam Tae Hyun, a former member of WINNER, is facing a possible prison sentence after being indicted for drunk driving while still on probation for a previous drug-related conviction.
On March 12, the Criminal Division 11 of the Seoul Western District Court held the second hearing in the case against the 32-year-old singer, who has been charged with violating the Road Traffic Act, including driving under the influence of alcohol. The hearing had originally been scheduled for January 15 but was postponed due to scheduling adjustments.
During the hearing, prosecutors requested a sentence of one year and six months in prison along with a fine of 1 million won (approximately 750 USD). They cited several aggravating factors, including Nam Tae Hyun’s prior conviction for a similar offense, his high blood-alcohol level, and the fact that the incident occurred during his probation period.
At the first hearing in December last year, Nam Tae Hyun admitted to all charges. His legal representative appealed for leniency, stating that the singer fully confessed during the investigation and cooperated sincerely with authorities. The defense also emphasized that Nam Tae Hyun had endured significant public criticism following the incident and had even been hospitalized in a psychiatric ward due to mental distress.
According to the defense, Nam Tae Hyun is currently working as an office employee and is making efforts to live as a responsible and ordinary citizen. His lawyer asked the court to grant him “one final opportunity.”
During his final statement, Nam Tae Hyun read from a prepared letter and reflected on his past actions. “I was fortunate to gain popularity, fame, and financial rewards at a young age, but I was not internally prepared,” he said. “I understand that my past behavior cannot be justified. I will change myself so that nothing like this ever happens again.”
The charges stem from an incident on April 27 last year near Dongjak Bridge on the northbound lane of Gangbyeonbuk-ro in Seoul. Nam Tae Hyun was found to have a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.122%, exceeding the license-revocation threshold of 0.08%.
Authorities said he was driving 182 km/h in an 80 km/h speed-limit zone, losing control of the vehicle and crashing into a central median barrier. No injuries were reported, and Nam Tae Hyun was not harmed in the accident.
This was not Nam Tae Hyun’s first drunk-driving offense. In July 2023, he received a summary order imposing a 6 million KRW (about 4,050 USD) fine for a similar charge. In addition, in January 2024, he was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year suspended sentence for illegal drug use.
Police sought an arrest warrant in May last year, noting that the drunk-driving incident occurred during his probation period. However, the court dismissed the request, ruling that there was no risk of evidence tampering. The court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on April 9 at 2 p.m..
SEE ALSO: BewhY criticizes elementary school gender education, sparking public debate
SHARE
