Topline
Suga, a member of the K-pop mega group BTS, apologized to fans on Wednesday after being booked by police for riding an electric scooter under the influence, amid the band’s hiatus as its members complete their mandatory military service.
BTS member Suga apologized to fans after his DUI incident.
Key Facts
According to South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency, Suga was questioned by Seoul police and booked on charges of violating the country’s Road Traffic Act.
Police said the 31-year-old rapper fell off his electric scooter while driving under the influence in Seoul’s affluent Hannam neighborhood on Tuesday night and was found lying on the ground by a police officer.
Suga was taken to a nearby police station and was subjected to a breathalyzer test that found his blood alcohol level to be above legal limits.
The rapper was fined for riding under the influence and had his license revoked before being allowed to return home.
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Crucial Quote
The rapper apologized to his fans on the social media platform WeVerse, saying he was heartbroken for disappointing them. He said he rode his electric scooter back home after drinking at a dinner party “thinking it was a close distance” and forgetting that “I could not use an electric scooter while intoxicated.” Suga said he fell while trying to stop the scooter in front of his house and added: “Although no one was harmed and no property was damaged, this is entirely my responsibility with no excuses. I apologize to those who have been hurt by my careless and wrongful behavior.”
Key Background
BTS, which is the biggest musical act to emerge from South Korea, is currently on a hiatus as its members fulfill their mandatory military service requirement. Unlike his six other bandmates, who chose active military duty, Suga is fulfilling his requirement by working as a social service agent—likely an outcome of a shoulder surgery he underwent in 2020. Suga is scheduled to be discharged in June next year. Jin, the band’s oldest member, became the first of the seven to complete his 18-month service in June this year. All BTS members are scheduled to complete their service requirement by mid-2025. Hybe, the entertainment company and music label that manages the band, has set late 2025 as the tentative date for the group’s highly anticipated reunion.
Further Reading
BTS’ Suga questioned for allegedly driving electric scooter under influence (Yonhap News Agency)
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