Recently, Indian newspaper India Today published an article titled “BTS’ Suga controversy is a reminder of the constant pressure Korean idols are under,” which noted that following the news that Suga was caught riding an electric scooter (under the influence of drugs), some people are calling for his immediate departure from the group, despite there being no loss of life or property as a result of the incident.
The agency stressed that despite the apologies from Suga and his agency, the “hate bandwagon” has not subsided and questioned whether the media has been given a “free pass” to do whatever they want with Suga.
On August 27 (local time), Elle India published an article titled “Let’s Talk About the Unrealistic Expectations and Scrutiny K-Pop Idols Face,” criticizing South Korea for its inhumane treatment of K-Pop idols. The article noted that Hollywood or Bollywood celebrities don’t apologize for trivial things like dating, gaining weight, or getting married, but in K-Pop idol culture, everything is subject to severe scrutiny from the media or Korean fans.
He further stated that when a mistake occurs in the well-managed public persona of K-pop stars, it leads to an immediate and intense backlash, damaging their personal and professional lives. The creative abilities of Korean celebrities are obscured by intense public scrutiny, reducing them to mere subjects of public entertainment and judgment, rather than individuals with personal and professional struggles, the media site said.
The outlet also reported, “The BTS member fell while parking the kickboard in front of his house, at the slowest speed, wearing a helmet and following the designated kickboard path,” adding“To make amends for his mistake, the idol also issued numerous public apologies to his fans on social media. The whole situation got complicated when several South Korean media platforms made it their portal’s mission to portray SUGA as a nuisance in the group with doctored videos made up of fake CCTV footage to ruin his reputation for views and clicks.”
The article criticized, “This is not the first time that the Korean media has openly targeted a celebrity when there are larger problems in the country that push them to exercise their power for the common good.”
Billboard also joined in the support of Suga. In particular, the station reported Suga’s multiple apologies and stated that he has never been disappointed in Suga, while also expressing his hope that Suga will successfully complete his military service.
On August 22 (local time), French weekly magazine *Paris Match* published an article titled “Disinformation and pressure… What’s happening to BTS’s Suga?” (provisional translation from French) stating: “Suga has been targeted excessively by the Korean media in recent weeks. He admitted to riding an electric scooter irresponsibly, and while no one denies the risks of riding an electric scooter in the city, it is difficult to understand why journalists are so relentless.”
The article points out that while Suga’s case has received widespread attention in South Korea, it has not attracted much attention abroad.
Meanwhile, on the 30th, the Seoul Yongsan Police Station sent Suga to the Seoul Western District Prosecutor’s Office without detention at around 2:00 p.m. on suspicion of violating traffic laws for drunk driving.
Source: Daum
