By Jung Hae-myoung “YG is literally in crisis,” Seungri, then a member of YG’s superstar boy band BigBang, said at a news conference in October last year where the Netflix sitcom YG Future Strategy Office was unveiled. The show depicts Seungri as a heroic executive who successfully restructures a fictional, dysfunctional unit of the entertainment giant through a set of reform measures. YG Future Strategy Office was said to reflect the reality YG faced at that time. “Rumour has it YG founder Yang Hyun-suk couldn’t fall asleep without drinking every night after his company was left behind by two rivals, SM and JYP,” Seungri said. Months later, his comments turned out to be true. But contrary to his role as a saviour in the Netflix drama, Seungri ended up doing the opposite: he has become the epicentre of the biggest crisis YG has faced. After becoming embroiled in a scandal centred around prostitution and drugs, he has pushed the already troubled entertainment company deeper into chaos. Seungri, or Lee Seung-hyun, announced his retirement on Instagram on Monday, after he was charged with procuring prostitutes for businessmen at some of Seoul’s most fashionable nightclubs, including Burning Sun, a club in Gangnam district long linked to the star. “I decided to retire from my career as the case is too big to handle,” Lee wrote. “I cannot harm people around me just to save myself.” Fans want K-pop Big Bang star Seungri kicked out over sex allegations The scandal started when a club customer surnamed Kim accused the managers of Burning Sun of attacking him last November. Allegations then surfaced that managers of the club drugged female customers with gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), known as a “rape drug.” On February 27, police questioned Lee over the allegations but the star said that while he served on the board of Burning Sun, he had nothing to do with running the club. Lee said he would “sincerely participate in the investigation” and apologised to his fans, but this didn’t stop the criticism of YG. A string of drug abuse incidents involving YG stars has tarnished the company’s reputation and paved the way for ridicule, with some claiming YG is short for “Yak-guk” (a Korean word for chemist). Another BigBang star, T.O.P, was charged with smoking marijuana in April 2017. The rapper, whose real name is Choi Seung-hyun, was working at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for his alternative military service at the time and he was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years. K-pop star Jung Joon-young ‘sorry’ for sharing spycam porn G-Dragon, the lead rapper of BigBang, was also caught smoking marijuana during a Japan concert tour in May 2011. YG Entertainment claimed the star “was not aware it was marijuana,” and had smoked it by a mistake. At the time, prosecutors suspended the charges as it was G-Dragon’s first marijuana offence and only a small amount was involved. Although she is no longer signed to YG, singer Park Bom was caught importing 82 amphetamine pills in 2010, when she was still a member of girl band 2NE1. Park explained she was not aware the amphetamine pills were illegal in South Korea, and said she used the drug to treat her depression and attention deficit disorder (ADHD). In 2016, Park’s contract with YG Entertainment was terminated and 2NE1 were officially disbanded that year. Park is set to make a comeback this week. K-pop star Seungri announces retirement amid sex escort probe Kush, a rapper and a songwriter also signed to YG Entertainment, received five years’ jail for smuggling cocaine in 2017. He bought 2.5 grams of the drug online and police caught him when he went to collect the delivery. He admitted he used cocaine, and has been receiving treatment regarding his depression. Read the full story here in the Korea Times