[Commentary] Reminder for K-pop stans: DUI is a serious offense, not a laughing matter

By: Gelene Peñalosa - 4 months ago

In case we needed reminding: driving under the influence is a serious offense that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Downplaying famous personalities’ faults seems to be the norm among fans at the moment. In fact, making jokes out of it already says a lot about the fans themselves, and what they are “willing” to throw away just to show how big their support is for them.

On August 7, 2024, the Seoul Yeongsan Police Station announced to the media that BTS’ Suga was involved in a drunk driving case, where police patrolling the area found the BTS member on the street after falling off his electric scooter. The police, who smelled alcohol on BTS’ Suga, first brought him to a police station, where they conducted a breathalyzer test.

The test found that the BTS member’s blood alcohol level had exceeded the legal limit of 0.8%, prompting his license to be revoked.

Following this, both Suga and BIGHIT MUSIC issued separate apologies for the incident.

On Weverse, BTS’ Suga said:

“Hello, this is Suga.

I am very heavy-heated and apologetic to bring you disappointing news.

After drinking at a dinner yesterday night, I rode an electric scooter home. I violated the Road Traffic Act due to my complacent thinking that it was a short distance and my failure to recognize that using an electric scooter while intoxicated was prohibited. I fell while parking the scooter in front of my house, and the nearby police officer conducted a breathalyzer test, resulting in the cancellation of my license and a fine. Although there were no victims or damaged facilities in this process, it is entirely my responsibility without any excuse, and I sincerely apologize to everyone.

I apologize to everyone hurt by my careless and wrong actions, and I will be more careful in my actions in the future to prevent such incidents from occurring again.”

BIGHIT MUSIC’s statement was the following:

“Hello,

This is BIGHIT MUSIC.

We apologize for BTS member Suga’s electric scooter accident.

On the night of August 6 (Tuesday), Suga was on his way home in an intoxicated state, using an electric kickboard while wearing a helmet. He fell while parking after moving about 500 meters, and the police officer who was nearby conducted a breathalyzer test, resulting in a fine and the cancellation of his license. Nobody was hurt, and no property damage occurred due to the incident, and he was taken home under police custody.

We apologize for the disappointment caused by our artist’s inappropriate behavior. As a public service worker, he will receive appropriate disciplinary action from his workplace for causing public disturbance.

We will take greater care to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.

Thank you.”

However, both Suga and BIGHIT MUSIC’s apologies drew in criticisms, with many accusing the two of “softening” the incident, as well as BIGHIT MUSIC apparently sharing misinformation. The police confirmed to the public that the vehicle BTS’ Suga drove with was an electric scooter with a seat.

This prompted BIGHIT MUSIC to issue another apology, which they posted on the Weverse platform, this time for “conveying misinformation due to internal communication errors,” and emphasized that they did not downplay the incident.

ARMYs also came to the defense of Suga, who was being criticized online for what he had done and sent words of support for him. Some also made jokes about how Suga was riding an electric scooter.

To which…many other K-pop stans called them out for. Imagine defending someone who could have killed someone for recklessly driving under the influence of alcohol. Some Koreans also called out Suga and clamored for him to leave BTS.

https://twitter.com/tyoungjix/status/1821268402197148137

Driving under the influence is illegal and is a serious crime in South Korea. Numerous K-pop idols and actors who were caught in the act were held accountable for it and even left their groups.

One notorious case of a famous South Korean personality getting booked by the police with a DUI was Kim Sae-Ron, who in May 2022, crashed into several structures and caused grave inconveniences to the people in Gangnam. She later left her supposed role in the TV series ‘Trolley’ and has not been active in the industry since.

What makes BTS Suga different from all the other Korean celebrities who have been caught driving while intoxicated? Is it because he’s a member of BTS? A global sensation with fans from all around the world? Someone rich and famous? Someone who “looks like a cat”?

Be serious right now. None of those things make him any different, and he should definitely be held accountable even if he did not hurt anybody.

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is gravely illegal. It is not a quirk, not a temporary lapse in judgment, and it is most definitely not something to joke over.

Many people have lost relatives to those driving under the influence, and it is no joke to lose someone to something that could have been avoided. And to think, if that had been any other K-pop idol, ARMYs would have had a field day with that.

But now that it’s their fave on the news with that headline, it’s all different? Get a grip. Suga is a grown man, he’s not a child that needs defending.

Your faves won’t even know who you are just because you support them, so please think a little.

 

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