Suga, a member of the globally renowned K-pop group BTS, has admitted to charges of drunk driving on an electric scooter and issued a public apology. In response, Min Jin Lee, author of the novel Pachinko, publicly shows her support for him. Additionally, PSY mentioned Suga during a recent public appearance.
Min Jin Lee posted a photo of Suga on Instagram on the 25th, accompanied by a purple heart emoji. The color purple represents BTS’s fanbase, ARMY, indicating her support for Suga amid the controversy.
Fans worldwide responded in the comments with similar purple heart emojis, expressing sentiments such as “We support Suga,” “Thank you for supporting Suga,” and “Min Jin Lee is an ARMY.”
Min Jin Lee is the author of the novel Pachinko, which inspired the Apple TV+ series of the same name. Pachinko explores the lives of four generations of Koreans during the Japanese occupation and the experiences of Japanese and American immigrants, focusing on the character Sunja (played by Kim Min Ha). The series stars Kim Min Ha, Youn Yuh Jung, Lee Min Ho, Jin Ha, Jung Eun Chae, and Noh Sang Hyun. Season 1 premiered in March 2022, with Season 2 set to premiere on the 23rd.
During his PSY Soak Show 2024 concert at the Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 25th, Korean singer PSY made headlines by mentioning Suga. As he performed his final song, “That That,” PSY expressed his gratitude, saying, “I want to thank Suga for collaborating on and contributing to this song.”
Some interpreted PSY’s remarks as public support for Suga, while others felt he was simply thanking him for their collaboration.
Meanwhile, Suga is facing allegations of drunk driving after being found riding an electric scooter while intoxicated on the night of the 6th in Hannam-dong, Yongsan District. On the 7th, Yongsan Police in Seoul announced that Suga had been charged with violating the Road Traffic Act for drunk driving.
The police report states that when Suga was discovered after falling from the scooter, his blood alcohol concentration was 0.227%, a level indicative of severe intoxication. Initially, Suga reportedly told the police that he had only had one beer.
Suga appeared at the police station on the afternoon of the 23rd, where he admitted to the charges. After a three-hour interrogation, he apologized, stating, “I want to express my deep regret for causing much hurt and disappointment with my wrong actions,” and bowed his head.
Suga posted a handwritten letter on the fan community platform Weverse on the 25th, saying, “I will accept any future decisions and criticisms with humility,” and added, “Lastly, I sincerely apologize once again for causing social issues and disappointing many people.”
