SEOUL • Former BtoB member Ilhoon appeared for his first court hearing at the Seoul Central District Court yesterday to face charges of purchasing and using the illegal drug marijuana.

During the hearing, his legal representative said: "The defendant admits to all charges and is reflecting on his wrongdoings."

The 26-year-old rapper-actor, who left the group after news of his drug use broke in December, added: "I am sincerely repenting. I am very sorry."

He and seven other defendants are on trial for buying 826g of marijuana with a value of 130 million won (S$154,500) and smoking it 161 times between July 5, 2016, and Jan 9, 2019.

It was previously reported that traces of the drug were detected on him through a hair follicle test and that he had paid with cryptocurrency to avoid getting caught.

Before the drug scandal broke, he had enlisted for his mandatory military service in May last year, the last member of BtoB to do so.

Ilhoon's departure leaves the popular boy band, which started in 2012 with seven members, with just six.

Two others, Hyunsik and Sungjae, are also still serving their military service, leaving just four active members.

The four have formed BtoB 4U and are taking part in a K-pop boy band competition on television, Kingdom: Legendary War.