Global K-pop group BTS and other Korean celebrities have spoken out against rumors swirling amid K-pop star G-Dragon's alleged drug use investigation.
The rapper from K-pop band Big Bang—whose former member Seungri was previously involved in a high-profile sex and gambling scandal and sentenced to prison—is under investigation for the alleged use of illegal drugs, South Korea's Incheon Metropolitan Police told Korean media on Wednesday, stating that "specific details on the case cannot be revealed as the investigation is ongoing."
G-Dragon, also known as Kwon Ji-yong, denied the allegations in a statement released Friday, saying "I have never used drugs" but will "actively cooperate" with the investigation, Yonhap and other Korean media reported.
Police announced last week that Lee Sun-kyun, the Screen Actors Guild Award-winning actor known from the Oscar-winning Korean film Parasite, was also being investigated for suspected drug use.
The investigation was launched after police received a tip-off that drugs were being circulated at an upscale club in the Gangnam district of Seoul, the South Korean capital, which was known to be frequented by Lee, according to SBS News and other Korean media.
Lee's agency HODU&U Entertainment shared a statement with Korean media last week saying, "We are currently verifying the exact facts regarding the allegations" and "intend to fully cooperate" in the investigation.
The agency also stated that Lee filed a complaint for the "continuous blackmail and threats" made against him by a person involved in the case.
A travel ban has been imposed on both G-Dragon and Lee amid the ongoing investigations, police confirmed Friday.
BTS and Other Celebrities Firmly Deny Rumors
According to police, a total of 10 people are being investigated, including G-Dragon, Lee, a composer, an aspiring singer and others, reported Hankyung and other Korean media.
Unverified rumors have reportedly spread online about other celebrities and their alleged connection to the latest case, including that BTS was among the regular patrons of the aforementioned venue in Gangnam, reported South Korea's Osen.
Big Hit Entertainment, the management company for BTS, told Osen and other Korean media that "BTS has nothing to do with the malicious rumors, which are not true at all" and that they "plan to take strong action against the indiscriminate spread of rumors."
Several female Korean artists also issued statements following rumors alleging that a member of a famed girl group may be involved.
Source Music, the agency managing K-pop group Le Sserafim, shared a statement saying the rumors about Le Sserafim member Kim Chae-won are "not true at all." They said "she is currently recovering from the flu" and will resume her scheduled activities on November 1.
Jeon So-yeon from the band (G)I-DLE also shut down the rumors through a statement from the group's agency Cube Entertainment, who stated the rumors are "unfounded" and "we will take strong action against the spread of false rumors."
Singer-songwriter Park Sun-joo also denied the "unfounded" rumors of involvement. Her agency First One Entertainment shared a statement saying "she is currently doing well in Jeju Island [the South Korean island]" and "we will take strong action if rumors are spread," reported Osen.
Police said there are "no additional celebrities under investigation" and "no further details can be revealed," reported various media.
Newsweek has contacted Incheon Metropolitan Police for comment via Instagram, Facebook and X, formerly Twitter.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel and health.
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