BTS' SUGA faces new scrutiny after DUI incident; civil complaints filed against him

BTS Suga

SUGA, the talented rapper and member of BTS, has recently found himself at the center of controversy following a driving under the influence (DUI) incident. The incident, which occurred on August 6, 2024, involved SUGA driving an electric scooter while intoxicated. Although the distance he traveled was only about 500 meters, the situation has sparked significant backlash, leading to a series of allegations and civil complaints.

On August 16, 2024, South Korean media outlet Star News reported that a civil complaint had been filed with the Military Manpower Administration. The complaint called for a thorough investigation into SUGA’s conduct as a social worker. Specifically, the complaint questioned whether SUGA had fulfilled his duties as the group leader at the Public Service Training Center and whether the commendation he received was deserved.

Additionally, the complaint raised concerns about the special leaves granted to SUGA. It suggested that if the commendation was not warranted, his special leaves should be canceled, and if the leaves had already been used, they should be deducted from his annual leave allocation.

These allegations come on the heels of earlier claims that SUGA was neglecting his social service responsibilities. An alleged eyewitness accused him of not taking his duties seriously, even stating that he was scolded by a senior for dozing off during his service.

The DUI incident has only intensified the scrutiny. SUGA reportedly fell off his electric scooter while making a sharp turn near the entrance of his residence at Nine One Hannam. Although the situation was initially misunderstood due to a misleading CCTV clip, which was later confirmed not to feature SUGA, the controversy has continued to escalate.

Despite these challenges, BTS' agency, HYBE, has indicated that the group will continue its activities as planned, unaffected by the DUI incident.