Ex-WINNER Member Nam Tae-hyun, 'Heart Signal' Star Seo Min-jae Get Suspended Prison Terms For Drug Abuse

Former WINNER member Nam Tae-hyun and his ex-girlfriend Seo Min-jae have been in recent news due to the illicit drug charges on them, facing legal consequences for their actions.

On January 18, the Seoul Central District Court gave them a suspended prison term. For those unfamiliar, a suspended prison term refers to a sentence in which the court may delay the imprisonment, providing the defendant an opportunity for probation, a treatment for addiction, or if the person meets certain community conditions.

Tae-hyun received a one-year prison term, suspended for two years, while Min-jae was given a sentence of 10 months in prison, also suspended for two years.

Tae-hyun was accused of buying and using methamphetamine in August 2022, while Min-jae was accused of consuming drugs back in December 2022. The judge went leniant and considered their no-criminal record and thereafter decided on suspended sentences. Other than this, the court has ordered 40 hours of drug rehabilitation for each mandatory, along with fines of ₩550,000 (Rs 34,257) for Nam Tae-hyun and ₩450,000 (Rs 28,028) for the other. 

The judge stated, "Nam Tae-hyun abused methamphetamine while being charged with marijuana, and that warrants a harsher sentence. However, I considered the fact he had never been charged with a similar crime and the fact he promised to quit drugs and has a willingness to rehabilitate. Seo Min-jae is also a first-time offender with no criminal record, and she's currently in rehabilitation."

On the professional front, Tae-hyun was popular for delivering hits being in the K-Pop band WINNER before he departed in 2016. He had also stepped foot into acting, making his debut with the series 'Midnight Girl' in 2015. On the other hand, Min-jae rose to fame, garnering the title of an influencer on the dating show 'Heart Signal 3.' She also changed her name to Seo Eun-woo amidst the drug trials. 

The final verdict ends their long legal battle, which was spread over more than a year.