According to Allkpop, actor Yoo Ah In, who is currently awaiting a court ruling after being convicted of drug-related crimes, was nominated for Best Actor at the 23rd Directors Cut Awards for his role in the movie The Match.
The Directors Cut Awards, organized by the Director's Association of Korea (DGK), will take place on the evening of May 20. This award honors films and TV series released from January 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, directed by official members and affiliates of DGK.
In the category of film, the nominations for the Best Director award include Kim Hyung Joo (The Match), Nam Dong Hyub (Handsome guys), Bong Joon Ho (07/0), Woo Min Ho ( Harbin), Jang Jae Hyun (Exhuma) and Hur Jin Ho (A normal Family).
Yoo Ah In and Lee Byung Hun of The Match were both nominated for Best Actor, competing with Robert Pattinson ( filmed Mickey 17), Yoon Joo Sang ( filmed Seagulls of the Morning Sea) and Choi Min Sik ( filmed Exhuma).
Yoo Ah In's nomination has caused controversy, because the actor is involved in a drug-related scandal. In the most recent appeal hearing on February 18, Yoo Ah In was reduced from prison to suspended imprisonment and released after 5 months of detention.
The allegations against Yoo Ah In include 181 times using banned substances (such as Propofol, Midazolam, Ketamine, Remimazolam) from September 2020 to March 2022; illegally purchasing more than 1,100 sleeping pills under someone else's name 44 times, from May 2021 to August 2023.
The appellate court determined that Yoo Ah In was guilty of smoking marijuana, regular use of prescription drugs, and purchase of sleeping pills under another person's name - upholding the first instance court's verdict. However, the court declared the actor innocent of the charges of inciting smoking and destroying evidence.
Despite the ongoing legal battle, Yoo Ah In's performance in "The Match" is still recognized in the industry, causing mixed reactions from the public.
However, despite Yoo Ah In's personal controversy, "The Match" has surpassed 2 million tickets after 27 days in theaters, becoming the second Korean film released in 2025 to reach this milestone.
After The Match, the film Hi.5 featuring Yoo Ah In will be released on June 3.
Hi.5 tells the story of five individuals who unexpectedly gain superpowers and events that take place when they face those who want to take advantage of their abilities. The film features an all-star cast including Yoo Ah In, Ahn Jae Hong, Ra Mi Ran, creating expectations right before its release.
Principal photography ended in April 2022 and the distributor originally scheduled it to release in 2023. However, Yoo Ah In was suddenly involved in a drug scandal, causing the film's release plan to be postponed.
