BTS’s Suga Suspected Of Lying About Location In DUI Scandal
Both BigHit Music’s initial statement and Suga’s first apology refer to Suga’s electric scooter as an electric kickboard. Yongsan Police Station clarified that Suga was driving an electric scooter with a seat. BigHit Music has apologized for and corrected details in their first statement. Suga has released a second apology. The police investigation into Suga’s drunk driving incident has now ended.
On August 7, media outlets reported that BTS‘s Suga is being investigated by the police for operating an electric scooter after drinking. Suga apologized for the drunk driving controversy on Weverse. The apology is translated in full below.
Hello, this is Suga. I’m feeling extremely heavy-hearted and sorry to have to come to you all over such a disappointing matter. I rode an electric scooter home last night, after having drinks with dinner. I thought it was a close distance, and I did not realize that you could not operate an electric scooter after drinking.
As such, I violated traffic rules. I parked in front of the main gates to my home, and I fell over by myself in that process. A police was nearby, and through the results of a breathalyzer test, my license was revoked and I paid a fine. Although no one was hurt, neither was any property harmed in the matter, as this is inexcusably something I have to take responsibility for, I bow my head in apology to everyone. I apologize to those who were hurt by my irresponsible and wrong actions, and I will be even more careful with my actions to prevent such matters from occurring in the future.
— Suga
Netizens have pointed out differences between Suga’s apology and a statement made by the police. In his apology, Suga emphasizes that he rode a kickboard and fell in front of his home before the police found him. Recently, the police clarified that he had operated an electric scooter with a seat and not a kickboard.
In Korea, electric scooters abide by the same regulations as cars and can only be rented with a valid license due to safety concerns.
The police also added that he was found near Nine One Hannam, a luxurious condominium complex in Seoul.
With this, netizens argued that Suga’s home was Hannam River Hill Villa, which went against his apology for falling in front of his home.
Although fans are arguing about the statements made in his apology, all this is still netizen speculation as it is difficult to confirm where Suga lives currently.
Some Korean netizens criticized his apology statement and felt that it was filled with nothing but excuses.
- “To think the person couldn’t tell it was the great BTS. But I only know four member’s faces too.”
- “I didn’t think anything of it before, but looking at it now it’s totally different.”
- “It does look like he’s trying to be slick here. The difference between kickboard and scooter is huge.”
- “Saying it’s a kickboard when it’s a scooter is on the level of lying isn’t it?”
- “What the…Koreans hate people who like.”
- “Even it if was a kickboard it’s considered drunk driving. Kickboard accidents is a huge society issue.”
- “This is so getting ugly.”
- “He should just apologize simply instead of making all these excuses.”
- “He always wrote bad lyrics, even his apology statement is bad.”
- “Even if we want to cover this, you can’t cover up cowardness…at least there was no big accident…he really has a lot of luck.”
- “Wow.”
- “Although kickboards are dangerous too, taking his scooter when he’s going to drink is different. Wow he really is trying to make this situation smaller than it actually is.”
- “Wow what a turn off.”
- “He has a lot of money..he should have just rode a taxi.”
- “Don’t we all know that you get more hate when trying to avoid something.”
On the other hand, officials have given their opinion on the severity of this situation.
Officials Weigh In On The Seriousness Of BTS Suga’s Scooter Drunk Driving Incident