Highlights
BTS rapper Suga who is currently facing charges in a DUI case has been defended by other celebrities in the entertainment industry. This article is about the recent happenings in Suga’s DUI case and the backing that has been given by other celebrities. Beginning from the concert in which PSY pronounced the kid’s name out loud to actors and authors on the social media site, Twitter, the K-pop star’s case has received support from the Korean entertainment industry and fans across the globe. This proves that the phenomenon of celebrity and the fans’ attitude towards a certain star cannot be reduced to an either positive or negative attitude.
Incident And The Apology By Suga
On 6th of August, 2024, Suga was arrested on charges of drunken electric scooter riding. This particular BTS member was asked to come to the police station two days before the writing of this article. Suga also felt the need to offer an apology to his fans for his negligence when he got to the police station. He however penned an apology in writing, which was more of regret for whatever he had done.
Suga said in his apology, “It is with feelings of shame that I apologize once again to you all,” he said, “I apologize very deeply for having disappointed and hurt my fans and everyone who loves me through my wrongdoing.” He then went on to recount the events of August 6 in which he was caught riding an electric scooter on the sidewalk while under the influence of alcohol. Suga also said sorry for the confusion that arose from the first apology that he made on the morning of 7th of August.
Celebrity Support and Endorsements
Nevertheless, Suga has been receiving lots of support from many celebrities even with the issue that has circulated around the media. The most memorable endorsement was by the South Korean singer-songwriter PSY, who is famous for ‘Gangnam Style. Before performing their song ‘That That’ in the 2024 ‘Summer Swag’ concert at Suwon World Cup Stadium, PSY thanked Suga for the opportunity. He told the viewers, “I am so thankful to Suga for penning and doing the rap for this song,” and the clapping followed by people going to the hashtag #WeSupportMinYoongi on social media.
Other celebrities have also supported the campaign by posting messages and pictures on social media. In her Instagram, the author of the famous series “Pachinko” Lee Min Jin posted a picture of Suga and put a purple heart which is the BTS sign. Another cast member of “Pachinko” is actress Park Sohee who replied to Min Jin’s post with a purple heart. The last part of the message was posted by Mui Sakamoto, the daughter of the legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto: she has also shared BTS tracks titled “The Last” and “Life Goes On” in her Instagram story.
Other celebrities of other countries have also stood to support Suga. Actress Alicia Hannah Kim from “Cobra Kai” posted “Protect Min Yoongi” on Instagram. Author Alexander Chee who was also at the same Met Gala with BTS in 2021 also expressed his support to Suga by posting “Suga!!! We are with you”.
Impact Of The Allegations On Suga And The Perception Of The Public
The DUI incident and its resultant celebrity backing have called into question responsibility, amnesty, and celebrity in the Korean pop culture business. While Suga’s actions may not have been very popular among some of his fans, the response he received from the artists in the industry tells a different story, of how the Japanese handle celebrities’ miscreants.
This situation also shows that the members of BTS occupy a special place in the Korean entertainment industry and in the world. The group’s popularity and their impact has created a support base for them and also among celebrities. This network of support may prove to be very useful in how Suga will respond to this incident and its consequences on his career.
