On the afternoon of August 9th, Korean media reported updates on the new developments regarding Suga (BTS) and his drunk driving incident. Specifically, the Yongsan Police Department in South Korea will conduct a criminal investigation into the idol for driving under the influence. Earlier, on the night of August 6th, Suga fell while driving an electric scooter.
Test results showed that Suga’s blood alcohol level exceeded the threshold for license revocation. This figure reached 0.227%, which is similar to the result of actress Kim Sae Ron during her car accident.
The scooter that Suga was driving is classified as a “motorized bicycle.” According to South Korean law, if the blood alcohol level is 0.2% or higher, the offender could face imprisonment from 2 to 5 years or a fine of 10 million to 20 million won. With these developments, Suga is facing unprecedented backlash. The reaction has become more negative than ever, especially since the police investigation results differ from the apologies issued by both Suga and his agency.
As the controversy escalated, a rap verse by Suga in the song Fire, released in 2016, suddenly went viral across K-pop forums. Fire is one of the hits that helped BTS establish their name and increase their influence in South Korea before becoming a global group. At one point, the song was considered a national hit, passionately sung and danced to by young people.
Suga’s rap verse in Fire includes the lines, “I’m ruined, I’m completely drunk; I stand on the street shouting; Insane like a madman; Everything is chaotic,…” The video of Suga performing this verse garnered over 1.5 million views on X (Twitter) right after the drunk driving incident came to light. Most netizens laughed and mocked the “prophetic” nature of Suga’s rap verse in light of his current situation.
As a member of a global group, Suga lived a successful life, basking in the glow of fame. Talented in the field of music, Suga is seen as a role model for many juniors and a dream idol for many fangirls. But with just one instance of drunk driving, Suga has ruined both his own image and that of the group.
In South Korea, public sentiment towards the idol is becoming increasingly harsh. Many are even calling for Suga to leave the group due to his serious violation of the law. This can be considered the most serious scandal of Suga’s career and of BTS as a whole.
