In the past few weeks, BTS’ member Suga had been embroiled in a scandal of unprecedented scale. As a fan, I’ve been following the situation closely, and as it unraveled, I found myself more and more frustrated and helpless. With my Xwitter account locked, and my brand spanking new Reddit account (created for the purpose of keeping up with the situation) unable to comment on most threads, I decided to utilize this blog.

This is not an article, and I am not a journalist. This is a personal blog post and a recount of the events as I’ve witnessed them, meant to bring some light to this horrific mess of a situation to those who care to read all of it.

I tried to list sources where I could, but I didn’t (couldn’t) keep track of everything. If I got anything wrong, please let me know.

Here’s what happened.

Credit: Agust D ‘Haegeum’ Official MV - HYBE LABELS

The Eye of the Storm

On 7th August 2024, the world woke up to headlines of BTS Suga having committed a DUI.

Korean media agency Yonhap reported on the event first, with a statement from the police: Suga was spotted riding an electric kickboard after falling in front of a nearby police patrol. The police officers came to assist him and, suspecting he might be under the influence, subjected him to a breathalyzer test. His results were enough for a fine and license revocation.

Both Suga himself and his agency Big Hit Music were quite quick to follow with their own statements and apologies. Suga especially was specific with the details he gave on the event: yes, he drove his electric kickboard under the influence of alcohol. Yes, he fell in front of his house while attempting to park the vehicle. No, no one was hurt, and no damage to property was inflicted. He didn’t know it was prohibited to drive e-kickboards after having consumed alcohol. Yes, his license got revoked and he was fined.

He apologized and expressed his regret.

Big Hit then recounted the event as well in a separate statement, adding a couple details—Suga wore a helmet and he drove a short distance, about 500 meters. They too expressed regret about the actions of their artist.

In most cases, this would be the end of the story. People would come to their conclusions and Suga would face appropriate legal ramifications.

However, this isn’t a story about a DUI. Not really.

A couple hours later, Big Hit issued another statement, explaining that they weren’t aware that Suga’s kickboard, which contains a foldable seat, could be classified as a different type of vehicle—a scooter. They also weren’t aware that there would be a follow up procedure from the police, but they vow to comply to the full extent.

A simple case isn’t so simple anymore. Media, as they often do, smell blood in the water.

Did Suga lie?

A flurry of articles and reports follows. Suga didn’t drive a kickboard, but a scooter—a much different vehicle that carries a much different legal charge. He said he fell in front of his house, but he was actually found passed out on the ground. He was actually not in front of his house at all.

JTBC airs a grainy CCTV footage that shows a man driving a much larger, faster combustion engine vehicle than initially described, in full traffic. Damning evidence.

The consensus is, Suga lied. Not only did he commit a DUI, but seemingly a much larger offense as well—downplaying the incident. He’s branded a deceiver.

There is an outcry in the media, and outcry in the K-pop community. Everyone is quick to condemn Suga completely—often with unbridled glee. It’s quite clear that the K-pop community had been waiting for a member of BTS to 'mess up’, so to speak.

Meanwhile, Suga’s fans plead to wait until an investigation is completed. They are laughed out of the room—after all, we already have CCTV footage of him and hence all the proof we need. Right? With South Korea’s draconic defamation laws, the media wouldn’t lie.

Right?

In the following days, the vitriol grows. Hundreds of articles are published daily, each one with more and more outrageous accusations—Suga was not only passed out on the ground, but he was found in a pool of his own vomit. His alcohol levels were outrageously high—the media reports the number 0.227% BAC, the same as actress Kim Saeron, but the highest level of any K-pop idol on record. He didn’t drive for 500 meters, as he had said, but for more than 1 km. Actually, for 2.8 km. His BAC level was actually the highest of all Korean celebrities in history—Kim Saeron’s was suddenly lower. All that while having said he only had one beer!

Then, another CCTV footage was released. In it, a man on a scooter (a white, blurry blob) drives erratically on the street among a crowd of people until he hits a curb and falls.

As a fan, I feel like I’m witnessing an assassination attempt in real time. It’s hard to keep up with the tsunami of information coming out—reporters cite police sources, then change their articles and cite themselves. The police even goes on record and refutes the circulated BAC levels, only saying that the true number is difficult to confirm at the time.

The investigation has not yet begun. In the court of public opinion, though, Suga has already lost. What was he thinking, deceiving the public? Especially in South Korea, the land of CCTV?

In the circle of his fans, though, suspicions remain.

Did the media lie?

On Wednesday 14th, 7 days after the incident, more CCTV is revealed. This time, it’s much clearer than the previous ones and much, much different.

It shows a man, riding what appears to really be an electric kickboard down the sidewalk. He drives slowly, in a straight line—as straight as you can be on a slow-riding e-scooter, at least. The point of view changes—the man has now overtaken three riot officers. He slows down, turns, disappears out of view. One of the officers points in his direction.

The point of view changes again. We can see the man make the turn to pull up to a front gate, and then—it’s hard to say what happens. Maybe the front wheel of his scooter got stuck. Maybe the turn he made was too sharp, maybe he pulled on the breaks a little too abruptly. The e-scooter stops, and the man flies forward. He lands on his hands and knees. He gets up, collects his helmet, puts it back on. The police officers are, at this point, next to him, surrounding him.

The man picks up his kickboard off the ground and gets back on. He turns to the police officers, listens for a second, and gets back off.

The video ends.

It feels like a valve has been released from a pot about to blow. Fans sigh a sigh of relief. Suga didn’t lie. His statement correlates with what’s shown in the video. Korean media seemingly fell prey to sensationalist journalism—in an effort to be the most up to date with the biggest scandal, they voiced information from sources that were false at worst and dubious at best. K-pop fans, hungry for drama, only poured fuel into the flames.

With this new development, surely Suga must be vindicated. He didn’t lie—he drove what really appears to be an electric kickboard, he really fell in front of his house. With the way he gets up instantly, the reported BAC also comes under question.

JTBC is forced to air a lukewarm apology for releasing the fake CCTV footage. Korea Now, the international leg of Yonhap news, also posts their apology—in the community notes of their channel and a separate video.

In an ideal world, this would be enough and the storm would end. The public outcry would cease and the investigation would continue uninterrupted.

Not that kind of story

On 27th December 2023, actor and movie star Lee Sunkyun was found dead in his car after taking his own life.

In the months before the tragedy, Lee Sunkyun had been hounded by the media and police for a different scandal—alleged drug consumption. The media vilified the actor. His private conversations and phone calls were leaked to condemn him to the public. He was branded a cheater on top.

Lee Sunkyun was forced to face the media head on during his first police investigation in the form of a so-called photo line—an impromptu press conference in front of the police station. The media takes prized shots of the suspected perpetrator in a compromised state, and regardless of whether they’re innocent or not, the image persists.

The actor was forced to face the photo line again for his second summons. When he was summoned for the third time, he asked the police to call off the photo line.

The police refused. The actor faced the press once more and then, after a 19 hour long interrogation, he ended his life.

There was significant backlash against the media and the police. Bong Joonho, director of the Oscar-winning movie “Parasite”, and other public figures petitioned for an investigation into the police and Korean media.

The photo line practice had been widely condemned and, allegedly, outlawed.

However, it cannot return the life of Lee Sunkyun.

Judge, jury, executioner

In the present, the situation surrounding Suga calms for a few days, almost ominously. The media’s overwhelming narrative that Suga is a liar slowly grinds to a painful pause.

New narratives are quickly raised in replacement.

It’s hard to say why this happens. One could argue the media is irked by being disgraced, or maybe they’re bitter that BTS’ fandom refuses to abandon their star. Instead they petition for the media to retract their false statements, or contact international press and ask them to report on the dubious Korean coverage.

Regardless of the reason, the DUI charges still stand and Korean media demand justice. With the investigation imminent and Suga expected to appear at the police station, they call for a photo line yet again.

Reporters go as far as to publicly threaten him—the photo line, considered by some to be an infringement upon human rights, should graciously be viewed as his opportunity to apologize to the public. And if he refuses to meet the press’ demands, they will continue to make his life difficult, or worse. And Suga can’t afford another mistake, can he?

The police refuses to set up an official photoline. However, if the press shows up to the station, nothing can be done. It’s not like the police has the power to stop them or evict them from the premises.

The defamation of Suga’s character continues. The new footage is scrutinized—driving on the sidewalk (legally a shared path for both pedestrians and bikes/kickboards) is actually worse than driving a motorbike (or car) in traffic, isn’t it? His (unconfirmed) alcohol levels, spouted as fact, are obscenely high. Doesn’t the scooter happen to need a license plate? If it does and has none, that’s another crime. If it does and has one, well. Suga “once again” mislead the public.

Under blackmail thinly veiled as calls for consequences, the star is expected to grovel in shame.

No matter that Suga already apologized. His original statement, even though truthful, had been disgraced by the accusations and is no longer valid. Only a head bowed in shame will be enough for the press.

The media reports that Suga should appear at the station on 22nd August, and photographers and reporters flock the station like an army laying a siege. They block the main entrance and create a corridor. They wait like this from 3 AM.

Around 11 AM, Big Hit releases a statement that Suga was never meant to appear at the station that day. They express their concern for the reporters’ well-being. They’re very sorry they couldn’t release a statement sooner, but they’re telling them now so they don’t suffer needlessly any longer.

The media has fallen prey to their own misreporting, but they blame Suga for it. Articles are released, complaining of the inhuman conditions they were exposed to, having to wait in the sweltering summer heat. Not showing up to a summon that hasn’t been made is painted as inconsiderate of him.

Fans view this as a battle won.

One step forward, two steps back

The triumph is short lived. The next day, reporters swarm the station again. This time, they wait until evening—no statement from Big Hit or the police comes to send them home.

Then, Suga shows up for his investigation. He doesn’t attempt to pass them by, or hide his face. He faces them, even stops to acknowledge them and speaks a few words of apology. He bows.

The press gets both their money shot and the ritual humiliation. Hundreds upon hundreds of articles are written yet again, more defamation ensues.

Bowing his head was not enough after all.

I will not share those pictures or videos here. I’m sure you can find them if you just Google Suga’s name. I would, however, like for you to remember the CCTV footage of the incident that started this whole thing—Suga, on a kickboard that I’ve seen children ride on, falling. No one gets hurt, nothing gets damaged.

I will leave it up to you whether you think his crime warrants the kind of punishment he received—thousands of articles full of proven lies, slandering his name. Blackmail and threats from the press. Defamation (itself subject to criminal charges under Korean law) of his character, calls for the strictest of punishments—up to 5 years in prison. Funeral wreaths, akin to death threats to any sane person, sent to his home. His ability to perform his social service has been disputed. His KOMCA song credits were questioned. Calls to remove him from BTS, a group he worked his entire adult life and much of his teenage years to build.

On Sunday evening, Suga posts another apology, a hand-written letter. In it, he apologizes to his fans, his bandmates, and his team for putting a stain on their name. He also apologizes for causing a 'social stir’, despite having been the victim of false narratives, harassment, and humiliation at the mercy of media outlets who decided to ruin his life beyond repair.

“It’s all my fault,” he writes. I’m sorry for getting my blood on your clothes.

The situation is still ongoing—chances are we won’t know the result for days, or weeks, or months. Articles full of speculation and defamation are still being published every day, every hour, while we’re waiting for the police to finish the investigation.

While this media storm is happening around Suga, real name Min Yoongi, these events also happened in Korea and didn’t make nearly quite the splash:

> 3 more high-profile DUI cases:
- a policeman drove a kickboard drunk, was found unconscious and was taken to the hospital. His case has already been closed.
- Olympic baseball player got behind the wheel the morning after a night out, collided with another vehicle, and his alcohol level was high enough to warrant a license revocation.
- Korean comedian, only referred to as Mr. A, drove after drinking and crashed his car, flipping itc

> Senior officer of the Korean anti-corruption commission, tasked with investigating the First Lady of South Korea in a bribery case, was found dead. His death was ruled a suicide. Charges against the First Lady had been dropped.

> Telegram chats consisting of 220 thousand Korean men and boys sharing private information, pictures, and deepfake pornography of women in their lives and celebrities, were exposed on social media.

> NCT member Taeil left his group unexpectedly after being charged with sexual crimes. The investigation had been happening for months.

It’s safe to say this story isn’t about a DUI. Suga may have very well served as a distraction, a scapegoat, for much larger political scandals. Or the campaign against him could have been paid for by Hybe and BTS’ competition—either to bring about their ruin, or to distract from their own undesirable news.

Or the simplest explanation is true—he just was the most lucrative subject, the one that brought the most clicks, the most engagement, the most money.

Consequences

While the media calls for Suga to face consequences and learn his lessons, I would like to speak of different lessons. Ones that we can all learn. Yes, one of those is that driving any vehicle after having consumed alcohol is a bad idea. Duly noted.

Another is that the reaction to this 'social stir’ has been widely blown out of proportion by the engaged public, most of which consisted of the K-pop community. In the wake of the real CCTV being revealed, that community scrambled. Comments, posts, and articles were being deleted en masse. Some people condemned the actions of fellow fans and haters—the shaming and dogpiling, only because people finally felt justified in their hatred of BTS. Some doubled down—all information shared was from reputable media sources and outlets. How were they supposed to know they were fake?

The truth is, we were supposed to know. We were supposed to suspect. The media, that now more than ever take their cues and inspiration from social media and online forums, have been wrong before, and they will be wrong again. Everyone who shared unverified articles meant to damage someone is in a way complicit in the situation. A situation that is sure to repeat—it’s a matter of when, not if.

A couple days ago, another idol posted a photo of himself sitting in a car. Then hastily added, “I’m not wearing a seatbelt because the car was stopped. I’m just saying.” While K-pop fans cackled about the shade, the fact remains that these idols live in an environment where the smallest mistake could cost them their career, or worse, their life. Where fans of different groups view them as competition to their success and are willing to abandon all morals to get their shot at them. And if this mentality doesn’t stop or change, the idols will keep dying.

BTS’ fandom, ARMY, is not exempt from this, not by a long shot. Just during this whole fiasco, a twitter account with thousands of followers incited violent threats against another idol, only because they felt slighted by an unrelated comment. On the other hand, other fandoms organized a defamatory hashtag, posting pictures and tweets as if they were fans of Suga, condoning drunk driving. With only one goal—damaging his reputation further.

These “shooter” accounts are cancerous to our communities, and we as fans should shun them, not hype them up.

Lastly, I am not excusing Min Yoongi. However, if a crime was committed, it should be punished within the scope of the law, not according to what-ifs, speculation, or fantasies of the public. I disagree with the media frenzy this sparked. The media or the public cannot play the role of the judge, the jury and the executioner—we can’t demand harsher punishment just because we don’t like a celebrity, or because we disagree with their wealth. If we want to uphold justice, we cannot bypass it. Not like this.

Ironically, the media had turned Min Yoongi into sort of a martyr—he now both committed a crime and became a victim of one. And while his actions didn’t hurt anyone, or damage anything, and are largely inconsequential, what has been done to him and his reputation cannot ever be fully undone.

One fact remains true. No one, not even a celebrity, deserves to be driven to suicide, but the media and the public gave it another good try.

And so I ask the broader K-pop community—remember this situation as a cautionary tale, and when the next scandal breaks out, do your part. Have the grace to help assure the idol’s fair investigation and impartial press coverage.

That is a basic human right.