According to Seoul Shinmun on August 21st, Suga will be attending a police investigation on August 22nd. The police plan to investigate the details surrounding the drunk driving incident and whether there was any intention to downplay the situation.
According to the media, Suga has been coordinating his schedule in preparation for the police appearance.
However, it is expected that he will make a non-public appearance and avoid the photo line.
When questioned about this, the police stated, “We cannot create a photo line on purpose. We will apply the same standards as for other suspects.“
Previously, on August 6th, Suga was caught by the police while riding an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.
At the time, his blood alcohol concentration was reportedly 0.227%, significantly exceeding the license revocation standard (over 0.08%). This level was notably higher than that of actors Kim Sae-ron and Kwak Do-won, who were previously involved in drunk driving scandals. Kim Sae-ron and Kwak Do-won had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.2% and 0.158%, respectively.
Electric scooters are classified as “motorized bicycles” under the Automobile Management Act. They are considered vehicles under the Road Traffic Act, meaning that driving them under the influence can lead to criminal punishment.
Suga has been serving as a public service worker since September last year to fulfill his military duty. He is expected to complete his service in June 2025.
In related news, on August 12th, it was reported through Sports Kyunghyang that a complaint was filed with the Seoul Regional Office of Military Manpower, calling for an investigation into Suga’s service as a public service worker. This news sparked widespread criticism.
The complainant requested a thorough investigation into the management of the institution where Suga is serving and his own conduct during his service.
They mentioned the controversy surrounding Big Hit Music and Suga’s earlier “downplaying and false explanation” of the situation, and suggested that “the sense of entitlement associated with being part of the privileged class” might have influenced the situation.
The complainant also raised concerns that Suga might not have been properly fulfilling his duties and called for a thorough investigation.
They further demanded strict measures, including reporting to the investigative authorities if any illegal activities were found.
Update: It was reported that BTS’s Suga (real name Min Yoon-gi), who was booked on charges of drunk driving, was to attend his first police interrogation today (August 22nd), but this turned out to be untrue, causing confusion at the scene
Word spread that Suga would appear at the Seoul Yongsan Police Station on the morning of August 22nd for questioning regarding his drunk driving charge. Reporters who arrived early at the scene predicted his movements and orderly took their positions to wait for him.
Although this police investigation was initially planned to be conducted privately, news of Suga’s appearance leaked late the previous night, leading to a large gathering of reporters at the scene early in the morning.
The primary point of interest was whether Suga would appear at the photo line. A police official had previously stated that Suga would be treated like any other suspect. However, given that Yongsan Police Station lacks an underground parking lot and has a narrow entrance, it seemed inevitable that Suga would encounter the media.
However, when word spread among the gathered journalists that HYBE, Suga’s agency, had stated “He is not appearing today“, the atmosphere grew chaotic. Some reporters quickly left, but others remained skeptical of HYBE’s confirmation, leading to continued confusion and a bustling scene at the police station.
