Recently, South Korea has been upturned by a shocking controversy revolving around one of the members of the internationally renowned K-pop boy band BTS. On Aug. 6, Suga, the lead rapper of BTS, was accused of driving under the influence of alcohol. Earlier that month, he arrived home from a night out and fell over while trying to park his electric kickboard scooter outside the front gate of his home. Police spotted his fall and, after giving him a breathalyzer test, determined that he had been riding the scooter while intoxicated. Since then, it has been revealed that he may suffer harsh consequences, including the possibility of a permanent removal from the BTS group.
This decision has enraged fans who claimed that Suga was not driving a car but an electric scooter, which has much more lenient driving laws. Currently, the K-pop fanbase remains divided on the issue.
“I honestly think what is wrong is wrong, and that doesn’t change,” Hyunseo Yoon (12), avid BTS fan, said. “However, with that being said, I think that he should be given a second chance before he just gets canceled. He’s made a positive impact on the music industry; he is known for being one of the best. So the best course of action would be to just give him time to return to the music industry. It might take some time but it could work.”
But just how much time Suga absence might inevitably end up being could have a major impact of the future success of the boy band. BTS has just recently come out of the 18-21 months conscription required by government mandates. Now in the early stages of their return, losing a member could potentially mean the break up of BTS.
So far the only measures that have been implemented is revoking Suga’s driving license. This has fans worried that there may be harsher penalties coming.
“Although I think that further punitive action may be necessary, sending him to jail would be too much,” Chong Min (12), K-pop fan, said. “That action is even worse than the revoked license because it would leave a mark on his reputation as a celebrity.”
What’s more is that further legal action may be likely given how the controversy also exposed much of Suga’s past wrongdoings. For instance, Suga was accused numerous times of swearing during or after performances, as well as during his time in the military. For now, fans are putting their trust in the Korean legal system to sort things out.
“I’d actually be quite curious about what laws revolve around punitive actions against past controversies,” Amy Kuhn, hip-hop and music enthusiast, said, “if there is statute of limitations for everythings he’s done in the past that is part of the legal system. But I believe that any further punitive action should be decided by the legal system.”
The case is ongoing for now and fans are still waiting for the results to be finalized.
