What is Propofol? Late South Korean singer Wheesung admitted to years of abuse

South Korean singer-songwriter Wheesung had died at the age of 43. The Best Man fame artist was found unresponsive in his apartment on March 10, 2025.

The Korea Times reported that Wheesung’s mother was the one to call emergency responders upon finding her son unconscious. The outlet shared a statement by Tajoy Entertainment, which confirmed the singer’s death. The statement read,

“Artist Wheesung has left us. He was found in cardiac arrest at his residence and was later pronounced dead”

Wheesung was previously convicted of abusing the drug Propofol, the use of which is highly regulated in South Korea.

Propofol is used to induce anesthesia in surgical cases and induces sleep and a state of relaxation, according to the Cleveland Clinic. As per a blog by Primrose Lodge, a rehab center in Surrey, Propofol is an intravenous drug that impacts neurotransmitters in the brain to sedate patients and reduce grogginess after anesthesia use.

According to Manila Bulletin, Wheesung was charged with using the drug illegally in 2021. The report shared that the artist had admitted to the use of the drug in 2020 during his trial. At the time, Wheesung had made a public apology in relation to the charges and his Propofol use.

Manila Bulletin also noted that Wheesung was previously looked into for using Propofol from 2011 to 2013, but he wasn’t charged. The report also shared that the singer-songwriter was found using the drug Etomidate in 2020 when he was found unconscious in two separate incidents. He was not charged at that stage as Etomidate, although similar to Propofol, is not a controlled substance.

Popularity of Propofol use among South Korean celebrities other than Wheesung

In recent times, the abuse of the drug Propofol by South Korean celebrities has been highlighted in the media. Cases such as Wheesung’s, among others, have helped shed light on the misuse of the surgical drug.

The South Korean television personality Amy served eight months in jail after being indicted for misusing Propofol in 2012, according to The Korea Times.

Another South Korean star, the K-pop icon Gain of the popular group Brown Eyed Girls, publicly apologized after being accused of abusing Propofol in 2021. The singer was charged with using the drug in 2019 and reportedly had to pay a fine of 1 million won. The Korea Times reproduced the statement shared by Gain’s management, which issued an apology on the pop star’s behalf. Citing Gain’s mental health concerns, the statement read,

“We sincerely apologize for belatedly delivering the news about Gain's misconduct…Gain made a reckless choice due to severe depression and a sleep disorder. We feel a deep sense of responsibility for failing to help the singer, who has been in severe pain for years… From now on, Gain and Mystic Story will strive to show a more mature attitude.”

The popular actor Yoo Ah-in was also found to have excessively used Propofol during a police investigation into the actor’s drug use in 2021, according to The Korea Herald. As per the report, the doctor who allegedly supplied Yoo Ah-in with the drug was sentenced to one year in prison. Two other doctors involved in supplying Yoo Ah-in with the drug were also charged with fines.

Yoo Ah-in was eventually sentenced to a year in prison and ordered to pay a 2 million won fine. As per The Korea Times, Yoo Ah-in’s sentence was recently suspended for two years by the Seoul High Court after an appeal.

According to the Primrose Lodge blog, excessive stress related to celebrities' round-the-clock lifestyles, compounded with unrealistic beauty standards, leads to the misuse of drugs such as Propofol, which provides temporary relief and relaxation. It is clear that Propofol has embedded itself into the fabric of South Korea’s celebrity culture, and a timely redressal of the problem is necessary.