Another alleged drug scandal may be sweeping through the K-pop entertainment industry, again.
Yeah, you read that right. Again.
On October 25, 2023, South Korean news outlets reported that the police had booked popular K-pop idol and personality G-Dragon without detention (a.k.a. he was being suspected of this) for a violation of the Act on the Control of Narcotics, Etc. The police had also barred the idol from leaving the country.
The police said that because it’s a case currently under investigation, they cannot reveal any concrete details. They also clarified that it was in no way related to the ongoing drug case and investigation of “Parasite” actor Lee Sun-gyu, with the latter stepping down from his drama role due to it.
2 days later, G-Dragon, through his legal representative, released a statement denying all of these allegations and that he will be “actively cooperating” with the police investigations. Here is G-Dragon’s full statement, as per a translation from Soompi:
“This is Kwon Ji-yong [G-Dragon’s given name]. First, there is no truth to the [claim] that I have taken drugs. Additionally, I have no relations to the news reports about the violation of the Act on the Control of Narcotics, Etc. that was recently revealed in the media. However, because I know many people are concerned, I will actively cooperate with police investigations and will participate even more diligently.”
Due to the current rumors surrounding G-Dragon, other K-pop idols and personalities’ names were brought up in online forums and were also under suspicion of drug use without any credible evidence.
LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chaewon, (G)I-DLE’s Jeon Soyeon, and Singer-songwriter Park Sun-Joo were the names most mentioned in online communities.
The agencies of the names mentioned were quick to refute these rumors. SOURCE MUSIC, LE SSERAFIM’s Kim Chaewon’s agency said, “The rumors about Kim Chaewon are not true at all. Kim Chaewon is recovering from the aftereffects of the flu and is scheduled to resume her activities on November 1.”
CUBE Entertainment and Park Sun-Joo’s agency also said the same, with the former also threatening strong legal actions against those that spread false rumors and misinformation. The police also released a statement saying that the rumors surrounding the said personalities were plain misinformation.
On October 30, 2023, G-Dragon’s legal representative presented a new statement and update surrounding the proceedings surrounding the idol. Below is the translated statement as per Soompi:
“This is Kwon Ji-yong’s advisory counsel, lawyer Kim Soo-Hyun of K1 Chamber LLP.
As clearly revealed already, it is not true that Kwon Ji-yong used drugs.
Regarding this, Kwon Ji-Yong appointed a lawyer and submitted a statement of intent for voluntary attendance to the Incheon Metropolitan Agency’s Narcotic Unit of the Regional Investigation Department with the appointed lawyer this morning.
Through the statement of intent for voluntary attendance and a written opinion of counsel, Kwon Ji-Yong expressed his intent for voluntary attendance and his intent to actively cooperate with the investigation, and in order to resolve the false accusations as quickly as possible through a rapid investigation process to reveal the truth, he stated to the police that he will actively cooperate with the hair follicle test and urine test. His schedule for voluntary attendance is currently being discussed.
Recent speculative false reports and YouTube videos regarding this case such as the appointment of a lawyer who is a former constitutional judge and an excessively high lawyer payment are being released thoughtlessly, but we clearly reveal that these are not true at all, and we will take strong legal action against these types of speculative reports for the circulation of false information and defamation.”
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