Article: BTS Suga and Hybe, Lies Exposed Quickly~ Is the Truth Game Just Starting? (Comprehensive)
Source: Sports DongA
It turned out to be a blatant lie.
On the 7th, HYBE released a statement on BTS Suga's drunk driving accident however their testimony was revealed to be false. When police opened their mouths and CCTV footage was leaked, HYBE bowed down to the public and released a second statement. But what can they do? The game of truth that digs into their clever statement is just beginning.
On the 7th, Yongsan Police Station in Seoul booked Suga for violating the Road Traffic Act (drunk driving) and is investigating. Suga was found drunk on the street in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, the previous afterrnoon and fell over after riding an electric kickboard. At the time, his blood alcohol level was reported to be at the level of license revocation (over 0.08%).
When the drunk driving charge was reported, Suga admitted the charge through his official Weverse and stated, "I have a heavy-heart and I'm sorry coming to you with something disappointing. I drank alcohol at a dinner last night and rode an electric kickboard home. There was a police officer nearby so I took a breathalyzer test and my license was revoked and a fine was imposed. I bow my head in apology to everyone who was hurt by my careless and wrong actions. I will be more careful with my actions in the future so that something like this doesn't happen again."
However, Suga's apology was full of excuses and redundancies. HYBE's apology was the same. While Suga said, "There is no room for excuses," he stated that "the driving distance was short and that he did not know that he could not use an electric kickboard while intoxicated." He also emphasized that "he fell while parking the kickboard in front of his house and that no one was injured nor were any facilities damaged." HYBE also added that "Suga was wearing a helmet at the time and that there were no casualties or property damage as a result of the incident."
It was a lie. Police stated that the mobility device Suga was driving was an electric scooter not a kickboard. JTBC's 'Newsroom' also released CCTV footage of Suga driving drunk on the street. Although the footage was blurry, it was clear to anyone that it was a scooter, not a kickboard.
Since the punishment levels for drunk driving on a kickboard vs. scooter are different, there are suspicions that Suga and HYBE were trying to downplay the criminal charges. In addition, various suspicions were raised about Suga's driving distance and the circumstances when he was discovered.
In response, HYBE released a second apology that night. There was no statement from Suga.
HYBE stated, "First, we would like to once again deeply apologize for disappointing many people with this unfortunate incident. We also apologize for causing confusion by hastily releasing a statement without thoroughly examining the various circumstances. First, regarding the electric kickboard, we judged the product used by the artist to be a kickboard with a saddle, so we explained it as an ‘electric kickboard.’ During the additional verification process, we realized that the classification can vary depending on the performance and specifications of the product, and the scope of responsibility for the accident can also vary. As some have said, we had no intention of downplaying the matter. We apologize again for not being able to examine it more closely and speaking hastily as a result. We will faithfully fulfill our responsibilities once the investigative authorities decide on the classification of the product in question. Regarding the fine and license revocation, on the 6th, the artist was sent home immediately after taking a breathalyzer test at the scene. Both the company and the artist did not realize that there were still procedures to follow, and mistakenly believed that the matter was closed. Given the seriousness of the matter, we apologize for conveying incorrect information due to an internal communication error."
"First of all, both the artist and the company bow our heads in apology for not being able to set an exemplary example during the period of fulfilling their military service and for causing an unpleasant incident. We also sincerely apologize to the fans who were disappointed. We will faithfully cooperate with the police’s additional investigation in the future and humbly accept the results of the investigation."
However, suspicions still remain. This is because there are continuous reports that are different from the statement regarding the distance Suga traveled while drinking and riding and the situation when he was discovered. It remains to be seen how the problematic 'additional foot' will come back to haunt Suga and HYBE.
Meanwhile, Suga is currently serving as a social service worker and is scheduled to be discharged in June 2025.
- [+1,760, -25] Seriously, all kickboards need to disappear!
- [+786, -15] Please get rid of electric kickboards! They're worse than scooters, they have small wheels and fall over easily so they cause accidents often.
- [+664, -24] Ignorance is a sin!
- [+676, -59] He didn't know you weren't allowed to do that?? Is he an elementary choding?!
- [+398, -22] How is he able to face the rest of the members? Doesn't he feel bad about them at all?
- [+289, -22] It's not a kickboard but a scooter with a seat. This is the same as drunk driving in a vehicle. Judging from their excuses that 'there were no victims' it's clear they're not reflecting on their actions.
- [+268, -19] What is this ba$tard sick with that he can't go to active duty?!
- [+216, -3] When is he leaving, it's time for BTS Zero Suga..
- [+46, -2] How drunk was he that his license got revoked?!
- [+44, -16] This is drunk driving. Kim Ho-joong shouldn't be the only one hit with punishments. The law should be equal for all.
- [+16, -0] So it's not a kickboard but a scooter?!
Additional source(s): Hankyung, Yonhap News