BTS' Suga posts handwritten apology over drunk driving issue | ABS-CBN

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BTS' Suga posts handwritten apology over drunk driving issue

BTS' Suga posts handwritten apology over drunk driving issue

Paul Xavier Jaehwa Bernardo,

ABS-CBN News

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BTS member Suga. Photo from Suga's Instagram accountSuga, a member of the K-pop sensation BTS, issued Sunday a handwritten apology, once again addressing the recent incident in which he drove an electric vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.

The rapper, whose real name is Min Yoon-gi, posted the apology letter on fan community platform Weverse two days after he appeared at a police station in Seoul's Yongsan district for questioning.

"It is with feelings of shame that I apologize once again to you all. I apologize very deeply for having disappointed and hurt my fans and everyone who loves me through my wrongdoings," Suga wrote in the letter translated into English by K-pop news website Soompi.

The 31-year-old idol was found by police lying on the ground next to his electric scooter late at night last August 6, with a blood alcohol level well over the legal limit.

In his letter, Suga also apologized for "causing a great deal of confusion" through an initial statement posted shortly after the incident, where he referred to the scooter as an "electric kickboard."

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"I should have thought more deeply and carefully, but I failed to do so," he said.

Suga's handwritten letter. Photo from BTS' Weverse communityThe "Haegeum" artist said he felt "painfully sorry" for "[causing] damage" to his bandmates and acknowledged the disappointment of some fans.

"I will accept not only the disciplinary measures that will be decided [by the authorities] in the future, but also any criticism or rebuke," he said.

Suga, who is currently performing mandatory military duties as a social service agent, has already had his driving license revoked and been fined.

But he still needs to answer police questions as officers said he was too drunk to respond at the time of the incident.

Experts said Suga's punishment will depend on the type of e-scooter he was driving, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report.

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If he was riding a sophisticated e-scooter rather than a simple kickboard, Suga "could be punished for violating the Road Traffic Act," lawyer Cha Hong-soon told AFP.

Police have said Suga's blood alcohol level was 0.227 percent, nearly three times over the legal limit.

This could mean a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine between KRW 10 million ($7,295) to KRW 20 million ($14,952) under the South Korean Road Traffic Act.

But police will also consider "factors such as the driver's driving distance, whether any damage occurred, and whether he had a similar criminal record," Cha added.

Seoul's Military Manpower Administration has said Suga will be punished according to the traffic law, not military law, as the incident happened outside of his official working hours.

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BTS fans, known collectively as ARMY, have been divided over the controversy, with some rallying behind the singer as others call for him to leave the band.

"I liked BTS because of Yoon-gi and now I just can't stop crying," said BTS fan Park Soo-hee, mentioning Suga's real name.

"People say that you should never love an idol who appears on the police blotter or the 9 o'clock news and I'm just really disappointed in him."

The seven members of the world's most popular boy band have been on a self-described "hiatus" since 2022 due to their military service, which South Korea requires of all men under 30 due to tensions with the nuclear-armed North.

— With a report from Agence France-Presse

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

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