Park Si Yeon, who took a break from acting due to last year's propofol scandal, is currently considering whether it's the right time to make a comeback. She has been offered the role of a TV news journalist in a drama called "The Greatest Marriage." The drama will focus on four different stories of love and marriage.
But Park Si Yeon may not yet have lived down the after-effects of last year's scandal. Park along with actresses Lee Seung Yeon and Jang Mi In Ae appeared in Seoul Central District Court in 2013 for a series of trials regarding their alleged abuse of the sleep-inducing drug propofol.
Also called the "milk of amnesia," the controversial drug is used as an anesthetic and may produce a sense of euphoria. The drug was implicated in the death of superstar Michael Jackson.
Park Si Yeon, who starred in "Nice Guy," was said to have used the drug 185 times. Her doctor testified that Park took the drug to cope with the pain she suffers due to avascular necrosis, a condition, in which the bone tissue dies from lack of blood. The painful condition was caused by injuries she received while filming "Marine Boy" and "Dachimawa Lee." Although she was treated for her injuries, the pain did not go away.
The court ruled that while she may have initially taken the drug for pain her frequent use showed dependency. She also must have known her use was excessive because she tried to hide it. All three actresses were found guilty and may have received a harsher sentence than non-celebrities because the court said they should present an example. The court ordered Park to pay a $4,000 and serve two years probation. At first she wanted to appeal her sentence but she dropped the appeal. As a result of her sentence, MBC and KBS banned her.
Park gave birth to her first child in September. For the last eight months the actress has focused on caring for her child. Park, who began her career in a Miss Korea pageant, did model in an advertisement in March. But other than that she did not work.
K-drama actors who are involved in a scandal must weigh several factors when timing a comeback. Earlier this year Park Shi Hoo considered making a comeback after his sex scandal involving a rookie actress. But when the public learned that he was again considering a drama role, he received negative feedback. Whether his decision was prompted by scheduling conflicts or that negative feedback, the actor postponed his comeback in Korea and focused on foreign projects.
Some netizens also had negative comments about Park Si Yeon's comeback.
"As expected... she makes a quick return," one said. "Well, that was fast," said another of her time away from the small screen. "It's too early for you," said a third.
"The Greatest Marriage" is due to air in September. What do you think? Is it to early for her to make a comeback?
