Prominent K-hip hop artist Sik-K (Kwon Min Sik) has been sentenced to a 10-month suspended prison term with two years of probation for violating South Korea’s Narcotics Control Act. The ruling was delivered on May 1 by Judge Ma Seong Yeong at the Seoul Western District Court’s 7th Criminal Division.
The court additionally mandated the 31-year-old rapper to complete 40 hours of drug prevention rehabilitation classes as part of his probation terms. The prosecution had previously sought a sentence of 3.5 years in prison.
The court stated, “The unfavorable factors include the multiple instances of the offense, the use of not only marijuana but also ketamine and ecstasy, the defendant’s prior record for the same offense, and the social influence that comes with being a famous singer.”
However, the court also considered the following favorable factors: “The defendant deeply regrets their actions and has pledged not to reoffend, has clear social ties, and voluntarily confessed to possessing and smoking marijuana.” These factors were taken into account when determining the sentence.”
In his final statement, Sik-K expressed remorse, saying, “I don’t think I’ve ever felt as ashamed as I do now. I promise to spend the rest of my life reflecting on my actions and making amends to the family and company members I’ve hurt, if given the chance.”
Last January, the Hip-Hop artist approached a police officer near the Seoul Regional Veterans Affairs Office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and confessed to injecting drugs, asking if it was a police station. He was then taken to the Yongsan Police Station. Later, in June, the prosecution indicted him without detention.
Sik-K who debuted in 2015 and gained fame through SoundCloud releases and collaborations with Jay Park, Groovy Room, Young West, Whee In, DinDin, and more.