Comedian Lee Jin-ho, who caused controversy over habitual gambling and drunk driving allegations, is reported to have been admitted to the intensive care unit with a cerebral hemorrhage. With one year and five months having passed since the controversy, we reviewed Lee Jin-ho's activities during that time.
On Oct. 14, 2024, Lee Jin-ho said that he personally engaged with an illegal gambling site and took on debts he could not bear, and that he belatedly came to his senses and stopped gambling but had received financial help from many people, and he announced a full suspension of activities in the entertainment industry.
At the press conference for the Netflix production Comedy Revenge in which he appeared, Lee Jin-ho dropped a bomb, and he also stepped down from Men on a Mission, saying, "I have been steadily repaying money every month, and I intend to repay this debt entirely by my own means for the rest of my life. Finally, I promise that I will repay the remaining debt no matter what happens. I will also fully cooperate with the police investigation and pay the price for my wrongdoing."
Lee Jin-ho's name resurfaced in connection with illegal gambling when he was referred to prosecutors, but it was again in the spotlight because of drunk driving. On Sept. 24, 20205, he was caught driving about 100 km while intoxicated. Lee Jin-ho is accused of drunk driving from Incheon to Yangpyeong County, Gyeonggi, at about 3 a.m. on Sept. 24, 2025, and his agency said, "He completed the investigation requested by the competent police station at the time of detection and is awaiting disposition."
Although Lee Jin-ho said, "Even if I cannot become a good person who serves as a model for others, I will at least live working hard so that I am not someone who is pointed at by others," he became a concurrent offender with charges of illegal gambling and drunk driving (multiple crimes whose sentences have not been finalized).
In particular, it became a topic of conversation that the person who reported Lee Jin-ho's drunk driving was his girlfriend, identified as Ms. A. It is rare for the identity of a reporter to be revealed, and concerns arose that the psychological burden would be great because the reporter was his girlfriend, who was closer to him than anyone else. Ms. A, who expressed psychological distress after being mentioned in various news reports, was found dead at her home, prompting regret.
Facing a string of misfortunes including illegal gambling, drunk driving and his girlfriend's death, Lee Jin-ho collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage and is receiving treatment. His agency SM C&C said, "Lee Jin-ho was admitted to the hospital on April 1 after a sudden cerebral hemorrhage in the afternoon; he is currently regaining consciousness and focusing on treatment," and added, "The artist's health recovery is the top priority, so please offer warm support so he can focus on recovery." There was no additional explanation about Lee Jin-ho's specific health condition or treatment plans.
Lee Jin-ho debuted in 2005 as a comedian specially recruited by SBS and received much love for his various characters and sense of humor on variety shows. Since his confession to illegal gambling, misfortunes have continued, including drunk driving, his girlfriend's death and a cerebral hemorrhage.
OSEN=Reporter Jang Wooyoung