South Korean singer Nam Tae-hyun has been sentenced in his first trial for drunk driving, marking yet another chapter in a series of legal controversies that have followed the former idol in recent years.

On April 9, the Criminal Division 11 of the Seoul Western District Court, presided over by Chief Judge Heo Jun-seo, delivered its verdict in the case. The court sentenced Nam Tae-hyun to one year in prison along with a fine of 1 million won for violating the Road Traffic Act. However, despite the prison sentence, the court did not issue an arrest warrant, citing low risk of evidence tampering or flight.

In explaining the ruling, the court acknowledged that Nam Tae-hyun had admitted to all charges and shown signs of reflection. Nevertheless, it emphasized the seriousness of the offense, noting that this was not his first drunk driving incident. The judge pointed out that he had previously been punished for a similar offense within the past decade and had also received a suspended prison sentence in a separate drug-related case. The court further expressed concern that the current offense may have been committed during his probation period, raising questions about his compliance with the law.

The severity of the case was also underscored by the circumstances of the incident. According to prosecutors, Nam Tae-hyun was driving along Gangbyeonbuk-ro in Seoul, near Dongjak Bridge toward Ilsan, at approximately 4:10 a.m. on April 27 last year. At the time, his blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.122%, well above the legal threshold for license revocation. He was also reportedly speeding at 182 km/h in a zone limited to 80 km/h—more than double the allowed speed—before crashing into a median strip. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and he himself was unharmed, but the court highlighted the high level of risk posed by his actions.

This incident adds to a troubling pattern. In July 2023, Nam Tae-hyun had already been fined 6 million won for a separate drunk driving case. Not long after, in January 2024, he received a one-year prison sentence with a two-year probation period for violating drug control laws, specifically involving methamphetamine use with a former partner. Given this background, prosecutors had initially sought a heavier punishment—requesting one year and six months in prison along with a fine of 1 million won.

Despite the seriousness of the charges, Nam Tae-hyun had consistently admitted to his wrongdoing throughout the trial process. During the final hearing, he appealed for leniency, stating, “I will change myself so that this never happens again,” expressing remorse and a desire to turn his life around.

Police had previously attempted to secure an arrest warrant in May, citing the fact that the offense occurred during a probation period. However, the court rejected the request, determining that there was no significant risk of him fleeing or destroying evidence. As a result, he was indicted without detention in July and has remained free during the trial proceedings.

Nam Tae-hyun first rose to fame in 2014 as a member of the group WINNER under YG Entertainment. After leaving the group in 2016 due to health issues, he later returned to the music scene as part of the band South Club. However, his career has since been overshadowed by repeated controversies, including allegations of dating violence, substance abuse, and multiple drunk driving incidents.

With this latest ruling, public attention is once again focused on whether Nam Tae-hyun will be able to follow through on his promises of change—or if this marks yet another setback in a turbulent personal and professional journey.