After the UAA company confirmed that the contract with Yoo Ah In had ended a long time ago, the Korean entertainment industry is buzzing with discussions about which company the actor will choose as a new destination.
In that context, information that Galaxy Corporation - G-Dragon's current management company (Big Bang) - is actively discussing signing a contract with Yoo Ah In has been confirmed by many sources in the industry.
Sources say that Galaxy Corporation is said to have offered Yoo Ah In an exclusive contract package in the form of a combination of cash and stock option worth at least 5 billion won (approximately 84.5 billion VND).
This number immediately caused controversy. Many opinions inside and outside the industry believe that the mention of such terms shows that Yoo Ah In's commercial value is still very high.
However, there are also many skeptics, who believe that this may be a media tactic to strengthen the belief that celebrities, despite being involved in scandals, can eventually return.
Yoo Ah In had to temporarily suspend his activities since 2023 due to drug use allegations and was brought to trial.
He is accused of illegally using addictive drugs used in medicine including propofol, midazolam, ketamine and remimazolam a total of 181 times in the period from September 2020 to March 2022, along with a number of other charges.
Finally, in July last year, the Korean Supreme Court sentenced Yoo Ah In to 1 year in prison but suspended sentence for 2 years, along with a fine of 2 million won.
Although Yoo Ah In was previously one of the top box office actors in Korea, the "huge contract" after the scandal still caused public controversy.
One side argues that Yoo Ah In's acting ability is undeniable, while the other side criticizes that commercial value is being placed above social responsibility, creating a heated debate.
In particular, G-Dragon - the main artist of Galaxy Corporation - was also involved in scandals related to banned substances, although he was not prosecuted. Therefore, the news that Galaxy Corporation continues to recruit an artist involved in a banned substance scandal has made many viewers dissatisfied.
If it partners with Yoo Ah In, the company will have to accept the risk of brand image and public distrust after the artist's scandals.
There are also concerns in the industry about the possibility that Galaxy Corporation is making a "high risk, high profit" gamble.
A person in the industry commented: "In terms of acting alone, Yoo Ah In is still a very difficult actor to replace. However, the level of public sympathy is a completely different issue.
It is known that Galaxy Corporation has approached Yoo Ah In after assessing that the actor has a platform to return to the entertainment industry after the scandal.
On the other hand, Galaxy Corporation is actively recruiting A-list artists to serve its initial public offering (IPO) strategy.
Previously, singer Taemin was said to have joined the company with a contract worth about 7 billion won, including stock options.
In 2023, the contract Galaxy Corporation signed with G-Dragon - the company's first artist - is said to have a total value of about 20 billion won, including about 10 billion won in cash and 10 billion won in stock options. This is considered the highest contract signing fee in the history of the Korean entertainment industry.
