Chuseok Behind Bars: Yoo Ah In and Kim Ho Jung’s ‘Luxury’ Holiday Meals in Prison Spark Nationwide Debate

The treatment of celebrities in Korean prisons, and specifically the quality of meals for high-profile inmates, has triggered mass outrage.

Yoo Ah In, a South Korean actor sentenced for drug charges and now located in the Seoul Detention Center, will spend his holiday awaiting trial over the first Chuseok holiday.

Popular trot singer Kim Ho-jung is sentenced to three years in prison for dangerous driving and attempting to cover up the accident. He is spending the holiday in solitary confinement.

The scandal emerged after the prison authorities reportedly leaked holiday meal plans. The expected menu will include an English-style breakfast or brunch, including bread, jam, or similar products, a cup of soup of different tastes, a boiled egg, and a portion of soy milk.

Kim and Yoo are supposed to eat the traditional Korean meals for lunch and dinner.Their diets consists of potato soup with bean noodles and hot grilled food, mainly in the form of squid. 

In addition to the standard prison meals, all inmates are to receive a holiday menu according to the custom.

The meal plans sparked a heated public debate due to the alleged inappropriateness of the meals for the convicted criminals.

The expanded comments on a popular online forum theqoo include ideas that the respective criminals received undeserved luxury and their tribunes should serve for the benefit of less fortunate and deserving people, such as  underprivileged children or victims.

Some of the most radical comments suggest that the prison conditions should be stricter. Allowing inmates to watch TV and have a luxury diet, isn't justice. In fact, only the portion of rice is considered an incompatible option.

SEE: Yoo Ah In Rumored to Return With New Drama 'Goodbye Earth' Amid Drug Controversy - Here's What We Know 

To some extent, the public opinion regarding the treatment of the figures involved reflects the continuing contradictions on the social inequality issue. The Seoul Detention Center rejected the inappropriate treatment accusation, claiming that Kim and Yoo do not and will not receive preferential treatment.

SEE: Yoo Ah In's Attacker Reveals Reason Behind the Incident: 'I thought I needed to teach him a lesson'   

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This article was written by:

Rovelyn Barb