Rapper Bobby of iKON has opened up about his former bandmate B.I, years after the latter left the K-pop group due to a drug controversy.

On Monday, Bobby took to Instagram to candidly share his thoughts on B.I's departure, saying he still "loves" his group's former leader despite the issue.

"I feel [you] honestly [because] he is my bro. He did show and did some bad [influence] to our next [generation] but can't stop my love for him [though]," Bobby wrote in English in the post's comments section.

"[You know] he [knows] what he did was wrong and everything... I love him as much as you love him," he said.

Bobby told his followers to "not forget" that B.I is "a good dude."

"Let's give him a chance to make it up to you. Forgiveness is most noble thing that [a] human being can do," he added.

Bobby did not identify B.I in his initial comments but confirmed he was talking about the latter in response to another Instagram user's question.

It remains unclear what exactly prompted Bobby to make the post, but in a separate comment, he urged fans to "stop" engaging in a "war."

"Don't put in work for OT7 or OT6 and some. I'm not [trying to] be political or none. Just [trying to] let y'all know how I feel for whoever. Stop this war," he wrote.

In K-pop fan culture, "OT" stands for "One True" and is usually followed by a number. It is often used by fans to refer to the number of members that they acknowledge as comprising a group.

In 2015, B.I debuted under YG Entertainment as the leader of iKON, playing a significant role within the group as he serves as its producer.

He left iKON in 2019 over allegations that he purchased and used illegal drugs, and has since pursued a solo music career under his self-founded label.

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In 2021, a Seoul court sentenced B.I to three years in prison, suspended for a probationary period of four years, news agency Yonhap reported. He was also ordered to do 80 hours of community service and complete 40 hours of drug treatment sessions.

After B.I's departure, iKON continued as a six-piece team. The group, which left YG Entertainment in 2022 and is now signed with a new label, is currently embarking on a global concert tour.

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For more news and features on K-pop, K-drama, and K-stars, visit the Hallyu Corner microsite.

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