BTS member Suga was caught riding an e-scooter while intoxicated and received a license revocation and a 100,000 won fine. The agency immediately issued an apology, and he will receive additional punishment as a social service worker. It will be interesting to see how this incident will affect BTS’s comeback next year.
This is unfortunate, shocking, and upsetting news. We’re in the middle of the Olympics, and one of the most culturally iconic groups in the world, BTS, has been caught driving an electric scooter while under the influence of alcohol. This is especially shocking because the group has been at the top of their game for a long time and have been in the spotlight without incident. Of course, there are those who argue that DUIs on e-scooters should be treated differently than DUIs in regular cars, but that could be fanboyism or a way of making light of the situation. The law states that drinking alcohol while riding an e-scooter is punished the same as drunk driving.
Nowadays, e-scooters are perceived as something that comes out of nowhere and causes many accidents. The incident occurred in the midst of such a bad social perception, so more criticism is being directed at the company. Let’s take a look at what happened, what the agency’s official stance is, what punishment Suga will receive, and how it will affect BTS’s full comeback scheduled for next year.
Overview of the Suga Electric Scooter Accident
On August 7, the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul announced that it is investigating Suga for violating the Road Traffic Act, or drunk driving. Suga was riding an electric scooter while under the influence of alcohol in the Yongsan-gu area on August 6, and when a nearby police officer approached to help him, he smelled alcohol and confirmed that he had been drinking.
According to the current law, anyone who rides an e-scooter after drinking alcohol and causes an accident is punished as a drunk driver. With the 2020 amendment to the Road Traffic Act on the Promotion of Bicycle Use, e-scooters were reclassified from motorized bicycles to personal mobility devices, and anyone who rides an e-scooter while under the influence of alcohol will be fined 100,000 won and have their license suspended or revoked. Suga was at the level of license revocation.
HYBE’s statement on Suga’s DUI
Her agency HYBE quickly released a statement. On the night of August 6, Suga was said to have been riding an electric scooter while wearing a helmet while returning home after drinking. The reason for the helmet is that the amendment to the Road Traffic Act makes it mandatory to wear a safety helmet. If you don’t wear a helmet when riding an e-scooter, you will be fined 20,000 won.
The company also said, “After traveling about 500 meters, I fell when I parked, and as a result of a sobriety test conducted by the police nearby, I was fined and my license was revoked.” This seems to emphasize that the fall occurred while parking, not while driving. The fact that the fall occurred while parking makes the situation clearer.
In addition, the HYBE representative stated that “the incident did not result in any personal injury or property damage and he was returned home under police escort.” This emphasizes that there was no personal or property damage. If there had been human harm, the penalties would have been more severe, including gross negligence, the same as for a regular motorized vehicle.
The agency apologized for the disappointment caused to many people by the artist’s inappropriate behavior, and said that as a social service worker, he will be appropriately disciplined by his workplace for his actions that caused a social problem. Suga is currently serving as an off-duty social worker, which will result in additional penalties.
What punishment will Suga face?
Ultimately, Suga’s license will be revoked because he was found to have a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or more. You can’t ride an electric scooter without a license, and according to the amendment, you need a license to ride one. Therefore, Suga’s license was revoked and he was fined 100,000 won. Since there was no human or material damage, there is no additional compensation for damages. As a social service worker, he will be further dealt with by the relevant agency.
This incident is a matter of social atmosphere and public opinion. Recently, the number of accidents involving electric scooters has been on the rise, leading to increased crackdowns and bad publicity. From 2017 to 2020, the number of accidents involving personal mobility devices increased steadily, reaching 1,735 in 2020, according to the Korea Transportation Agency’s traffic accident analysis system.
Will Suga’s DUI affect BTS’s full comeback?
BTS is set to make a full comeback next June with all members returning, and there are concerns that this incident could make it impossible for Suga to return. The administrative penalty of a fine and license revocation may require a period of self-restraint. It is likely that Sugar will still be a community service agent when she begins full activity next June, and will have to serve her time. If Suga is sufficiently reflective and remorseful, it is possible that he could be reinstated with a formal apology when BTS resumes full activities.
The controversy continues to surround the fact that BTS’s Suga rode an electric scooter while intoxicated. The police have stated that Suga was riding an electric scooter, not a motorized scooter, which carries different penalties. While an e-scooter is punishable by license revocation and a 100,000 won fine, an e-scooter is punishable by imprisonment for not less than one year and not more than two years or a fine of not less than 5 million won and not more than 10 million won. This is something we’ll be watching closely in the future.
BTS Suga Entrance Statement!
hello. This is Suga.
It is with a very heavy heart that I come to you with a disappointing news.
Last night, after drinking alcohol at a dinner party, I rode my electric scooter home, unaware that it was a short distance away and that I was not allowed to use an electric scooter while under the influence of alcohol, I violated the traffic law. While stopping the scooter at my front door, I fell down on my own, and because there were police officers nearby, I was given a breathalyzer test, which resulted in a license revocation and a ticket. Although no one was harmed or property was damaged in the process, I would like to bow down and apologize to everyone for my inexcusable actions.
I apologize to everyone who was hurt by my careless and wrongful behavior, and I will be more careful in the future to prevent this from happening.
