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The Korea Times

By Dong Sun-hwa
BigBang, the veteran five-member boy band, have long been a prominent group on the K-pop scene, but most of its members have landed in trouble at some stage, tarnishing the group’s reputation as musicians.
Here’s a look at the main controversies involving the members.
Seungri
Seungri, 29, is accused of buying sexual services for foreign investors, and a nightclub he has been involved with is under investigation for drug use and sexual assaults.

He passed a drug test last Thursday, when he was questioned at Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for more than eight hours.
His agency, YG Entertainment, has said: “If any problem is found [after the investigation], legal punishment should follow. On the contrary, if any rumours are found to be false, we will seek legal action.”
Seungri nightclub scandal: K-pop star may face police questioning
Seungri has been in the hot seat since January as a former executive director of the Burning Sun nightclub in Seoul’s Gangnam district, which has been described as a “hotbed of crime”. Some female customers were reportedly drugged and raped in the club.
However, this is not the first time Seungri has been caught up in controversy; he was embroiled in a sex scandal in 2012. A Japanese media outlet published a photo of him and a topless woman lying on a bed. The woman in the picture provided the photo, and she told reporters that Seungri “likes to strangle his partner while having sex”. YG did not respond to the report.
G-Dragon
Group leader G-Dragon recently made headlines after failing to win promotion to the rank of corporal despite serving in the South Korean military since February 2018. Normally, an enlisted man can be promoted to corporal about 10 months after enlisting. Military service is compulsory for men in South Korea.

G-Dragon reportedly spent about a third of his military life outside the unit and spent 40 days in an army hospital with an ankle problem. Although the army said his long leave was not the cause of him missing the promotion, people remain suspicious.
Reports at the weekend said he would resume his service after claims that he sought another medical examination to get discharged from military duty.
How K-pop star G-Dragon became famous and why turning 30 won’t put the brakes on his success
G-Dragon was also caught up in a drug scandal in 2011 for allegedly smoking marijuana at a club in Japan. But a criminal charge against him was left on the books as he was a first-time offender and the amount involved was small.
T. O. P
BigBang rapper T. O. P also came under fire in 2017 over marijuana use. He began his military service as a conscripted policeman in February 2017, but lost the position after being found guilty of smoking the drug.

He was sentenced to a 10-month jail term suspended for two years, and was ordered to pay compensation. He is now doing public service work in Seoul and is due to be discharged in June.
Read the full story at the Korea Times


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K-pop idols

Boy band BigBang are no stranger to scandals: stories of sex, drugs and K-pop

G-Dragon

Seungri

T.O.P

BigBang are no strangers to scandal. G-Dragon, T. O. P and Seungri have all faced controversy. Photo: Handout

K-pop star Seungri apologises to fans for nightclub drugs and rape scandal ahead of Seoul concert

BigBang’s Seungri made an apology to fans before his solo concert in Seoul on Saturday night as a probe continues into a sex and drugs scandal at a nightclub of which he was formerly a director and which he actively promoted.

Seungri seen in Burning Sun in 2018

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K-pop star Seungri’s nightclub is embroiled in a drugs and rape scandal, but he is not the only BigBang member to get into hot water
G-Dragon and T. O. P have both been embroiled in controversy over their use of marijuana and questions have been asked about their military service



K-pop star Seungri’s nightclub is currently embroiled in a drugs and rape scandal, but he is not the only BigBang member to get into hot water. G-Dragon and T. O. P have both been embroiled in marijuana controversies and questions have been asked about their military service.
