“It was not Suga operating the vehicle” — JTBC confirms previously released CCTV footage is not of the BTS idol

On August 15, 2024, JTBC confirmed that its previously released CCTV footage, alleging BTS' Suga's drunk driving, was inaccurate. Koreaboo reported that the South Korean media outlet faced public backlash for airing fake surveillance footage on August 7, claiming it to be the BTS idol speeding an electric scooter on the road.

On August 14, another South Korean media outlet, Dong-a Ilbo, released the original CCTV footage near the Nine One Hannam complex, showing the BTS rapper slowly riding a foldable electric scooter under 30 Km/hr on the biker's lane. The video showed the rapper taking a left turn towards the Nine One Hannam complex (his residence) and tripping.

Suga immediately got up and picked up his helmet before three police officers walked up to him and started talking to him. The footage went viral online as the BTS ARMY demanded that JTBC apologize to the idol for releasing fake footage before and smearing his reputation. Fans also tagged KBS, SBS, and Yonhap, among others, to apologize as well for spreading the same unverified clip.

Meanwhile, JTBC confirmed Suga was not "operating the vehicle in the said video" and said,

"JTBC published a CCTV footage of a scooter cruising down the main road opposite Nine One Hannam that was from a similar time as when the police found Suga, on the next day. However, after the police investigated the routes and such, it was confirmed that it was not Suga operating the vehicle in the said video." (as translated by Koreaboo).

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BTS' Suga faced online trial and ridicule because of alleged false reporting by Korean media

After a week of scrutiny by the public and media, BTS' Min Yoongi aka Suga's ongoing DUI incident brought extra details to light after Dong-a Ilbo released the footage. On August 6, 2024, around 11.10 PM, Yoongi was returning home from a dinner. He told the police that he had a glass of beer and upon a breathalyzer test, his blood alcohol level recorded 0.08%.

MBC Entertainment reported on August 7, that the Yongsan Police Department fined the musician for drunk driving an "electric kickboard." The same morning, Yoongi released an apology letter in which he expressed regret and bowed down for breaking the Road Traffic Act. He informed his fans that he was penalized and his license was revoked for a short while.

JTBC released a fake CCTV footage later on August 7, claiming that the idol was driving an "electric scooter." Immediately, reports by Korea Times, Yonhap, Koreaboo, and more, surfaced online that the idol's blood alcohol level was over 0.227%, which could subject him to 2 to 5 years of imprisonment. ARMYs were baffled seeing the discrepancies in the alcohol percentage.

Fans lashed out at the Korean media for distorting facts and allegedly defaming him. While trying to defend BTS' Suga, they used several hashtags online to show their support for the rapper.

Meanwhile, other K-pop fandoms expressed their disappointment towards the idol. Some created an online trend called the "Suga Challenge," where they posted pictures of alcohol while sitting in a car.

ARMYs traced back the account that started the challenge by impersonating a BTS fan. They flooded X with hashtags to prove that BTS fans did not start the trend, alleging that a BLACKPINK fan started it. The Express Tribune reported that it was difficult to verify whether a BLACKPINK fan started it.

Fans tried to tag several media houses and demanded them to delete their news pieces that allegedly pinned the blame on the BTS fans. Amidst ongoing online backlash and ridicule, the only time both Suga and his fans found respite was when Dong-a Ilbo released the original CCTV footage. It debunked the ongoing rumors against the idol of allegedly speeding and posing a threat to civilian life.

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In other news, Min Yoongi is currently serving his enlistment as a social service employee in the South Korean military. He will return in June 2025 and reconvene for group activities.