Seoul:
K-pop sensation Suga, a member of the renowned boy band BTS, has been fined 15 million won ($11,500) by a court after being caught drunk driving on an electric scooter. The Seoul Western District Court issued the fine in a summary judgment last week, following the referral of his case to the prosecution, as confirmed by a court official on Monday.
Back in August, the talented songwriter and rapper publicly apologized for his actions, labeling them as “careless and inappropriate behavior.” The police had also revoked his license for riding the e-scooter under the influence.
Reports from his label, Big Hit Music, a subsidiary of K-pop giant HYBE, revealed that Suga had a mishap while parking the scooter at night, leading to a fall. Additionally, he failed a breathalyzer test conducted by the police to measure his blood alcohol level.
Following his decision to take a break from group activities in June 2022, the BTS members have been focusing on individual projects before serving in the military.
The 31-year-old Suga has been actively involved in social service work to fulfill his military duty obligation.
This incident of drunk driving serves as a reminder that even K-pop idols can sometimes falter from their pristine public image.
Some disappointed BTS fans expressed their disapproval by sending flower wreaths near the HYBE headquarters, with messages urging him to depart from the band.
Individuals who receive summary judgments have the option to request a regular trial within seven days to contest the decision.
At the time of publication, there has been no response from Suga’s label regarding this matter.
(This article has been generated using AI and has not been modified by NDTV staff. It is syndicated content.)
