‘Gangnam Style’ singer Psy apologies for drug offence
Psy, the musician known for his global hit ‘Gangnam Style’, has issued an apology after his arrest over prescription drugs.
The South Korean artist was detained in Seoul Seodemun police station on August 28th. The 47-year-old, whose real name is Park Jae-sang, is currently under investigation due to allegations that he has repeatedly sent a proxy to pick up his prescription drugs.
It is alleged that, since 2022, the singer has sent third parties, such as his manager, to pick up his prescription drugs. Drugs he illegally procured this way include Xanax and Stilnox, prescribed for symptoms of anxiety and insomnia.
As both drugs are considered habit-forming, it is required by South Korean law that users of the drug must undergo in-person hospital visits in order to replenish their stock. Psy has been allegedly bypassing face-to-face doctor consultations.
However, his doctor has denied the accusations. Instead, he claimed that he treated Psy remotely, per news agency Yonhap. Psy’s agency, P Nation, acknowledged the move as a complete “oversight”.
They wrote, “Having had a third party collect a prescription-only sleeping medication on his behalf was clearly a mistake and an oversight.”
The agency added, “PSY has been diagnosed with a chronic sleep disorder and has been taking sleeping medication in accordance with his medical team’s prescription. His use of sleeping medication has been under medical supervision and within the prescribed dosage, and there was no proxy prescribing.”
Though he is best known for his hit ‘Gangnam Style’, Psy’s latest release was in 2022, with his album Psy 9th, a work he stressed was a “farewell to ‘Gangnam Style’.
Other works include 3 Mai in 2002, PsyFive in 2010 and 4X2=8 in 2017. The video for ‘Gangnam Style’ has over five and a half billion views on YouTube.
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