Comedian Lee Jin-ho was caught driving under the influence while under investigation for habitual gambling. Lee Jin-ho, who said he would reflect and lay low, committed another crime before the habitual gambling verdict was even handed down, leaving him in the position of a person charged with multiple offenses.
Lee Jin-ho halted his entertainment industry activities entirely on Oct. 14 last year. He said in his own words that he had used illegal gambling sites, accumulated debts he could not bear, and, after belatedly regaining his senses, he stopped gambling but explained that many people had given him financial help.
Lee Jin-ho said, "I have been steadily repaying money every month, and I intend to pay off this debt with my own strength for the rest of my life. Financial loss is a loss, but above all I feel terribly sorry to the people who trusted me and lent me money. I thought that if I confessed everything and received punishment, at least I might be freed from this anxiety, but because I needed to work to repay even a little of the debt, I wondered if that feeling was just 'selfishness,' so I couldn't make the choice readily," and added, "I am so ashamed and sorry. Even if I cannot become a person who serves as a model for others, I will at least work hard so I won't become someone who is pointed at by others. Finally, I promise to repay the debts I have left no matter what happens. I will also cooperate sincerely with the police investigation and pay for the wrongs I have committed."
The day Lee Jin-ho confessed to illegal gambling was the same day the press conference for the Netflix show "Comedy Revenge," in which he appeared, was held. After causing trouble for the program, Lee Jin-ho stepped down from Knowing Bros and suspended all activities in the entertainment industry. He also confessed to past internet illegal gambling, which damaged the dignity of his ambassador role, and he was dismissed as a promotional ambassador for his hometown, Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province.
Afterward, Lee Jin-ho was investigated by police as a suspect on charges including habitual gambling. Lee Jin-ho bowed his head several times saying, "I'm sorry," and entered the police station saying, "I will cooperate with the investigation." After the investigation he apologized, "I cooperated with the investigation. If I have to appear again for further questioning, I will cooperate faithfully. I'm sorry again for causing trouble."
He was handed over to the prosecution on illegal gambling charges on Apr. 15, and about 11 months after causing trouble, on Sept. 24, 2025, Lee Jin-ho was once again in the spotlight for a drunk-driving charge. That day a media outlet reported that Lee Jin-ho had been driving for about 100 km while intoxicated and was caught and being questioned by police. He is accused of driving under the influence from Incheon to Yangpyeong County in Gyeonggi Province at about 3 a.m. on the 24th. Police arrested Lee in Yangpyeong after receiving a report that he was driving under the influence in Incheon and conducting a coordinated investigation across regions.
Lee Jin-ho's agency SM C&C said, "After confirming with Lee Jin-ho, he said he drove under the influence early this morning. He completed the questioning requested by the local police station at the time of detection, and is awaiting disposition," acknowledging the drunk-driving charge.
They added, "Lee Jin-ho accepts this as his fault without any excuse or justification and is deeply reflecting. The agency also feels responsible and will ensure that Lee Jin-ho faithfully carries out any dispositions and faces legal measures."
With this, Lee Jin-ho became a person charged with multiple offenses. Multiple-offense charges refer to cases in which multiple crimes have been committed and the verdicts have not been finalized, or to those crimes themselves. Lee Jin-ho, who was sent to the prosecution on habitual gambling charges, fell into the position of a person charged with multiple offenses after causing trouble again with drunk driving. His apology that he had said, "Even if I cannot become a person who serves as a model for others, I will at least work hard so I won't become someone who is pointed at by others," scattered into the air.
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