Will Suga leave BTS? | The Mary Sue

BTS’s Suga is currently under investigation for a drunk driving incident involving an electric scooter, leaving fans wondering if the charges will affect his status as a BTS member.

The Korean Military Manpower Administration informed Korean media that although Suga has been working as a social worker to fulfill his mandatory military service since 2023, “for cases outside of working hours, general criminal law applies.” This means that Suga will not be punished by the military for his actions. Additionally, Suga has already been fined and had his driver’s license revoked. It is unlikely that Suga will face further disciplinary action.

If that’s not enough to reassure fans, HYBE told YTB that “talking about Suga leaving is absurd. We will apologize and work harder to resolve conflicts between fans.” Expect him to return once his military enlistment is over.

Why fans are confused and outraged

Fans were outraged by CCTV footage of Suga released by JTBC, a Korean mainstream media outlet. The outlet admitted that the CCTV footage released showed another drunk driving incident, not Suga’s drunk driving case. This false report led fans to believe that Suga had used an electric scooter with a seat on a main road, making the incident much more dangerous.

Due to JTBC’s mistake, many fans criticized Suga for endangering others and lying in his statement. According to Suga, he only used a scooter, which would later be proven. Suga was found riding a scooter on the sidewalk and tripping in front of his house. The correct CCTV footage was released by Dong-A Ilbo, another Korean media outlet, showing that there was no property damage or injuries during the incident.

Due to JTBC’s reporting error, fans are demanding an apology from the media outlet for spreading false information.