BTS’ Suga Apologizes Again to Fans Over Drunk Scootering Incident: ‘I Made a Grave Mistake’

The rapper was arrested earlier in the month for riding his two-wheeler over the limit.

Suga from BTS attends the Valentino Haute Couture Spring Summer 2023 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on Jan. 25, 2023 in Paris, France.

Marc Piasecki/WireImage

BTS‘ Suga issued another apology to ARMY over his recent drunk scootering incident in a handwritten note posted to Weverse on Sunday (August 25). According to a translation of the post, Suga, 31, said, “I would like to apologize again to you with shame. I deeply apologize for the disappointment and hurt of my misbehavior to my fans and everyone who loves me.
I’ve made a big mistake, forgetting the responsibility to repay you with actions worthy of the love I’ve received.”

Explore

See latest videos, charts and news

He continued by describing the night in question (August 6), saying he made the mistake of driving on an electric scooter after drinking and apologizing for the “confusion” caused by his first, “hastily posted” apology on the day after the incident. “I should have thought more deeply and been careful, but I couldn’t,” he wrote.

Trending on Billboard

“It’s all my fault. My carelessness is giving everyone who cares about me a hard time. I will try not to do anything wrong again and live with repentance,” he added. “Due to this incident, I have greatly damaged the precious memories I made with the members and fans and put a lot of pressure on the name of the BTS. I feel so sorry and painful that it’s hard to express because it’s causing damage to the members and the team. I’m sorry that the members who always trusted me have a hard time because of me. And I know the disappointment that the fans who supported and supported me must have felt.”

The rapper had his license suspended after police said he operated the seated electric scooter while impaired in the Yongsan District in central Seoul, with a blood alcohol content above the 0.08 level that triggers license revocation. At the time, Suga said he didn’t realize he couldn’t drive the scooter while intoxicated, explaining that he felt comfortable making the trip because he was close to his apartment. According to Suga’s original account, he fell over while trying to ride the electric kickboard, which police observed, leading to a breathalyzer test.

BTS’ label BigHit also shared a pair of statements on Weverse at the time, noting that Suga was wearing a helmet and had only traveled about 500 meters before falling down while parking the scooter.

In the new statement, Suga also asked ARMY for forgiveness for letting them down. “I just feel sorry for the fans who have always given me too much love… I know that it is difficult to heal the wounds and disappointments that my fans have received with any words, so I regret it deeply and reflect on it with a heavy heart every day,” he said. “Once again, I sincerely apologize to the fans who were hurt by me. We will receive criticism and reprimand as well as future dispositions. Finally, once again, I sincerely apologize for causing a social stir and disappointing many people.”

At press time it did not appear that South Korean police had issued an official sanction yet to the BTS member over the incident, though Korean media reported that he “admitted” to the alleged DUI during three hours of police questioning last week.

Suga has less than a year left on his alternative mandatory South Korean military service; he was deemed unfit for regular combat duty due to a 2020 shoulder injury.

Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox