BTS’s Suga Apologizes for Drunk Driving Incident on E-Scooter

SEOUL (Reuters) – K-pop star Suga, a member of the boy band supergroup BTS, issued an apology on Wednesday after being fined by police and having his licence revoked for drunk driving on an electric scooter in Seoul, South Korea.

The songwriter and rapper had traveled about 500 meters (1,640 feet) on the scooter before he tripped while parking it on Tuesday night. His label, Big Hit Music, which is a part of K-pop firm HYBE, confirmed the incident.

After failing a breathalyser test conducted by nearby police, Suga was fined, and his scooter licence was confiscated. The label added that the incident did not result in any harm to others or property damage.

“I violated the road traffic law because I was comfortable with the idea of being close (to home) and was not aware that you could not use an electric scooter when you are drunk,” Suga wrote in a post on Weverse, a fan platform owned by HYBE.

“I apologise to everyone who has been hurt by my careless and wrong behavior,” he added. Suga, whose birth name is Min Yoon-gi, expressed his regret for the incident.

South Korea requires a licence for the use of electric scooters and imposes penalties for driving while drunk or causing injury to others.

Following the incident, police accompanied the singer to his home, according to Big Hit Music.

This event marks another instance of a K-pop performer falling short of the squeaky-clean image often associated with them.

Since announcing a break from group projects in June 2022, BTS members have pursued solo activities and have started their military service.

The 31-year-old Suga has been involved in social service work to fulfill his military duty commitment.

In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18 to 28 are required to serve about two years in the military. Some, however, are allowed to work as social service agents as an alternative form of duty.

Source: Reuters