Japanese female DJ who appeared in a South Korean film suffers convulsions and faints after drinking a forfeit drink; four drugs detected

[Financial News] A Japanese female DJ who appeared in the South Korean film High Society was taken to hospital after suffering convulsions following a drink at a party in Hong Kong.
According to Japan’s Fuji News Network (FNN) and Hong Kong outlet HK01 on the 2nd, Mao Hamasaki, who works as a DJ, suffered convulsions and collapsed unconscious after drinking at a private party held in a busy district of Hong Kong in the early hours of the 1st.
Hamasaki had just finished a DJ performance in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, and was due to give an additional performance at another venue after being invited by a VIP client. She reportedly drank a beverage suspected of being spiked while taking part in Liar’s Dice, a dice game, at the venue.
A total of four types of drugs, including cocaine and the synthetic drug MDMA, were reportedly detected in Hamasaki’s system after she developed sudden, unusual symptoms.
Hamasaki’s manager claimed, “At the time of the incident, Hamasaki drank the beverage after losing the dice game, and a white powder-like substance was left at the bottom of the glass.”
Hong Kong police have launched an investigation, considering the possibility that someone secretly mixed drugs into the drink with the intention of injuring Hamasaki. However, no one has been arrested in connection with the incident so far, according to reports.
Hamasaki later shared an update on her condition on social media (SNS), saying, “I’m truly sorry for causing you all so much concern over this incident,” and “I have regained consciousness, but for my safety, I am staying in hospital on my doctor’s recommendation so they can monitor my condition.”
She added, “I hope the Tsim Sha Tsui club does not suffer any harm because of this. I want to make it clear that this incident has no direct connection with the person in charge or the establishment,” and, “As the matter has already been handed over to the local police and is being formally handled, I will make no further comments on the details of the incident.”
Hamasaki became known in South Korea after playing the role of Minami in the 2018 film High Society.
According to statistics released by the National Police Agency in 2024, the number of people arrested for drug-related offenses linked to clubs and other nightlife venues surged from 161 in 2021 (1.5% of the total) to 454 in 2022 (3.7%) and 686 in 2023 (3.9%). A further 358 people (4.2%) were arrested from January to July 2024.
The amount of drugs seized from January to July of the same year also increased sharply compared with the same period a year earlier. By drug type, cocaine recorded the largest increase at 451.2%, followed by GHB (known as “liquid ecstasy”) at 269.0%, Yaba at 211.4%, ketamine at 108.1%, and synthetic cannabis at 42.8%.
[email protected] An Ga-eul Reporter