How Can This Be Advertised?…Scenes Show Woman Collapsing and Being Carried Away After "Drink and Lose Memory" Claims

Punishable Even Without a Transaction: Illegal Ads Face Penalties
Debate Over the Effectiveness of Platform Pre-Screening

Recently, controversy has erupted after it was discovered that advertisements for the narcotic GHB (gamma-hydroxybutyrate) are being openly promoted on social media platforms. On July 27, Yonhap News reported that advertisements for drugs are being displayed on widely used social network services (SNS) such as Instagram and YouTube, similar to regular app ads, pointing out specific cases and problems associated with this issue.

GHB, commonly known as "Mulpong," is classified as a psychotropic drug controlled under narcotics regulations in South Korea. It is almost colorless and odorless, making it easy to secretly mix into beverages. When ingested, it can cause consciousness impairment or memory loss, and it has been exploited in sexual crimes. The Asia Business Daily

GHB, commonly known as "Mulpong," is a psychotropic drug classified as a controlled narcotic in South Korea. It is nearly colorless and odorless, making it easy to secretly mix into beverages. When ingested, it can cause impaired consciousness or memory loss, leading to its misuse in sexual crimes. The problem is that advertisements selling these drugs are now appearing on social media platforms with large user bases such as Instagram and YouTube, presented similarly to regular app advertisements. This has sparked concerns that an unspecified number of people—including minors—can be exposed to drug advertisements with high potential for criminal misuse, without needing to go through any search or verification process.

A Collapsed Woman Carried Away... Crime Depicted Overtly in Advertisements

In a recent Instagram advertisement video circulated online, a man is shown pouring a liquid into a drink next to a product labeled 'GHB.' The next scene depicts the woman who drank it collapsing, after which the man carries her away. The ad includes phrases such as 'Totally under your control,' '100% confidentiality guaranteed,' and 'Suitable for dates, nightclubs, and bars.' This goes beyond simply selling the drug and blatantly promotes its use as a criminal means to incapacitate another person.

SNS Screenshot

In around May, a YouTube advertisement was also found that directly used 'Mulpong' as the product name. This ad described entering a coma and experiencing temporary memory loss after ingestion as if they were the product’s effects, and even suggested customers could evade drug tests. Online users responded with, "How did a drug that can be used for sex crimes pass the ad review?" and "It’s dangerous that even teenagers can see this without any restrictions."

Current South Korean laws on the management of narcotics forbid the widespread dissemination or presentation of information about the sale or brokerage of narcotics to others. Even if an actual transaction does not occur, simply posting an illegal narcotics sale advertisement or enticing someone to purchase such products can result in up to 3 years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won.

If an actual purchase, possession, or use takes place following such advertisements, each act could constitute additional violations of the Narcotics Control Act. Moreover, if someone is secretly dosed and a sexual crime or assault occurs, related charges will apply according to the results of the crime. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety monitors illegal online narcotics ads and posts around the clock. Last year, they detected approximately 50,000 such cases and requested blocks through the Korea Communications Standards Commission and platform operators.

Masquerading as Everyday or Adult Apps, Infiltrating Daily Life

However, illegal sellers are reportedly disguising advertisements as legitimate lifestyle or adult apps to pass the ad screening, then directing users to external messengers and sales sites. If an ad is deleted, they re-register using new app names, accounts, and access links to evade regulation. Apps and sites are constantly created and deleted, and when overseas platforms or anonymous messengers are involved, it becomes even more difficult to trace sellers or their real access links.

Experts argue that loopholes in platform recommendation algorithms and ad review systems can fuel the spread of illegal drug ads. If a user clicks on or watches a drug-related ad out of curiosity for a long period, the platform may learn this as an interest signal and repeatedly display similar ads. Once an illegal ad passes the review process, it is difficult to prevent its spread until it is reported or there is an external intervention.

Meta Korea stated that it prohibits ads promoting illegal products, implementing both automated and human reviews before posting ads. Google Korea also said it removes policy-violating ads and suspends advertiser accounts. However, as similar ads appear repeatedly, experts now argue that beyond merely deleting content, platforms need to block advertisers from re-registering by linking their identity, payment methods, and devices, and preemptively block altered ads by analyzing similarities in images and videos.

23,403 Narcotics Offenders Last Year... Online Transactions Rapidly Increasing

Meanwhile, the number of drug-related offenders in South Korea continues to exceed 20,000 annually. According to government data, 23,403 narcotics offenders were apprehended in 2025, up 1.7% from 23,022 in 2024. The rapid growth of online and contactless transactions is particularly notable. Between June 2025 and April 2026, 5,386 people were caught for online narcotics offenses—a 33% increase compared to the same period previously, marking an all-time high under this criteria.

The average age of offenders is also declining. Among those apprehended in 2024, 13,996 were in their 20s or 30s, accounting for 60.8% of the total. The proportion of drug offenses involving the internet rose from 21.4% in 2020 to 31.6% in 2024. This is leading to growing concerns that the accessibility of drugs via smartphones and SNS is increasing young people’s exposure to narcotics.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.