From Gangnam Style to hospital files: PSY under police scrutiny

South Korean rapper and singer-songwriter Park Jae-sang, aka PSY, well-known for the viral hit Gangnam Style, is under police examination for allegedly breaking medical law by acquiring prescription medication without the legally required face-to-face visits, according to Yonhap.

Authorities confirmed that both PSY and a university doctor are under investigation on suspicion of having prescriptions for restricted drugs obtained through intermediaries, including the artist’s manager.

According to investigators, PSY had been prescribed Xanax and Stilnox — drugs typically used to treat anxiety, insomnia and related disorders — by a Seoul-based university hospital without visiting the facility in person since 2022. Because of their high risk of dependency, South Korean law requires patients to undergo face-to-face medical examinations before such medicines can be prescribed.

The singer’s physician has reportedly denied the allegations, insisting that PSY’s consultations took place remotely. On Aug. 28, PSY’s label P Nation admitted errors in handling the prescriptions in the released statement. P Nation said PSY is under medical treatment for chronic sleep issues and takes medication as prescribed, while acknowledging that others occasionally retrieved the drugs for him.