Former K-pop idol receives 8-year sentence for killing man in drunk driving incident

Former K-pop idol DJ Yesong was sentenced to eight years in prison for a fatal DUI accident.

According to Star News Korea, the Supreme Court has affirmed the lower court's decision, finalizing the sentence for Yesong, whose real name is Ahn Ye Song.

Last February, Yesong, who was under the influence of alcohol, was involved in a car accident in Seoul's Gangnam district during the early hours of the morning. Yesong hit a motorcycle, resulting in the death of a 50-year-old delivery worker.

At the time of the crash, Yesong's blood alcohol level was 0.221%, which is above the legal limit.

Reports said that the former idol fled the scene of a prior traffic collision, causing this accident.

The court cited her failure to stop and help the victim as a major factor in the sentencing.

Initially sentenced to more than 10 years, the judge reduced Yesong's ruling to eight after she admitted guilt and reached a settlement with the victim's family.

“While driving under the influence, she caused two accidents and killed a person. Her crimes are heavy, considering how she is still blaming the victim even though the accident resulted in his death. I ask that you sentence the defendant to 15 years in prison and confiscate the keys to her Benz”, as quoted by Koreaboo.

Yesong responded, citing financial difficulties and the pressures of her career as a DJ as factors.

She expressed remorse for her actions, saying “At the time, I was experiencing financial hardship due to the lack of bookings. I was at an important gathering that had my livelihood at stake, and I couldn’t refuse to drink. This led me to make an inexcusable mistake that caused unerasable pain to the victim. I am reflecting deeply”.

Yesong further appealed, but the Supreme Court dismissed it, affirming the eight-year prison sentence.

Yesong debuted as a member of the K-pop group Instar in 2019 before transitioning to a career as a DJ.