Samsung releases new pictures of BTS’ Suga from ‘Freestyle 2nd Gen projector’ seemingly debunking rumors of the idol's replacement as ambassador

On August 31, 2024, Samsung dropped several new pictures from its ‘Freestyle 2nd Gen projector’ campaign featuring BTS' Min Yoongi aka Suga. Notably, Samsung announced Suga as its brand ambassador for The Freestyle 2nd Gen, Samsung’s latest versatile portable projector, on October 5, 2023.

Meanwhile, amidst the BTS rapper's ongoing DUI case, several rumors about his alleged replacement as the brand's face hit the internet. The AMYGDALA rapper-songwriter was accused of drunk driving an electric scooter on August 7, 2024. Upon investigation, the Yongsan Police Department revealed that his blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level was around 0.08%.

After weeks of media scrutiny and public outrage, several rumors circulated on social media that Samsung might end its endorsement contract with the rapper. It is crucial to note that the brand has made no comments on the idol's DUI incident thus far.

Koreaboo reported that the rumors started after Suga's photos were allegedly taken down from Samsung Electronics Germany and Samsung Deutschland's accounts, respectively, in August 2024, following the rapper's DUI episode.

However, with the latest posts by Samsung Paraguay's X account, the brand reportedly debunked all claims of the idol's replacement.

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What happened during BTS' Suga's drunk driving incident?

On August 7, 2024, Suga was accused of drunk driving an electric scooter/kickboard near his residence. According to the idol's apology letter posted on Weverse, the Polar Night rapper-songwriter rode for 500m before falling in front of his residency gate.

Suga released the apology letter on August 7, apologizing for his reckless driving and stating that he wasn't aware of the traffic rules pertaining to electric kickboards. JTBC aired a blurred CCTV clip on the same day, claiming that the individual speeding on a motorized scooter was the BTS idol.

An electric scooter is a personal mobility device with no engine and has a top speed range of 25 to 40 km/hr. On August 15, Dong-A Ilbo released the real CCTV footage near the rapper's residence— Nine One Hannam Complex. The video showed the idol driving a foldable electric kickboard, slower than 30 km/hr. The footage shows him tripping while making a left turn in front of his residency gate.

Fans were outraged by seeing JTBC's alleged attempt to taint Suga's reputation by airing a false CCTV clip. They demanded the news media apologize to the idol. On August 16, JTBC apologized to the BTS rapper on national TV for airing unverified footage and causing confusion.

Meanwhile, several news outlets reported that Suga's BAC level was around 0.227%, exceeding the original 0.08% score. However, this claim wasn't verified by the police. On August 23, the rapper-songwriter appeared at the Yongsan Police Station in Seoul for an interrogation.

On August 26, TV Chosun reported that the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport confirmed that the electric scooter that the BTS idol was riding didn't require a license plate. The Yongsan Police Station further declared that the idol would not be summoned any further and the case was forwarded to prosecution.

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Notably, once a case gets forwarded to the prosecution, appropriate punishment or penalties are levied on the individual. According to The Korea Times article on August 14, 2024, in BTS' Min Yoongi's case, he could be fined 10 million KRW ($7,476.24).