In 2000, Young-Chang became the first celebrity to be convicted of underage prostitution. He reportedly paid $150 for sexual intercourse with a 16-year-old girl twice in a car when he was 42, despite being married with a daughter. He was sentenced to 10 months of suspended prison term, along with two years of probation. The actor barely served a month of prison and was released. He migrated to the US, and got banned by broadcast channels like KBS, MBC and EBS. Upon his return, he returned to acting.