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On Sunday, August 11, Seungri released a statement to the Korean media outlet, Ilgan Sports, in response to the recent rumors regarding his upcoming appearance at an Indonesian club event, Burning Sun Surabaya. The idol stated that the rumors were completely false and that he did not plan on attending any such event.
A poster released by TVS Management, an Indonesian company, stated that the idol Seungri would be the special guest at the aforementioned bar event. The event is a K-pop night party which is scheduled to take place on August 31. The news specifically garnered attention for its choice of name, Burning Sun Surabaya.
Given that the name is related to the 2018 controversy that still stands as a sensitive topic in South Korea and the K-pop industry, netizens heavily criticized both the idol and the Indonesian club. The two were called out for their insensitivity towards the controversy, the Burning Sun scandal, where several women were abused, hurt, and harassed.
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However, Seungri expressed that these rumors are false. Here's what his statement to Ilgan Sports read:
"This is not true at all. All the rumors about hosting something in Hong Kong and Cambodia don’t make sense. I don’t know where it’s taking place and have no plans to attend. I don’t know the Indonesian region they mention in the news, and I don’t know why the club’s name (Burning Sun) is like that."
He continued:
"It says that I will attend on August 31, but I have no plans to do so. I want to live quietly, but because things about me keep coming out, I want to get the facts straight.”
Seungri's response to rumors of him opening a bar in Hong Kong
As soon as BIGBGANG's Seungri returned to the industry after his imprisonment, there were rumors that he would kickstart a new bar or club in Hong Kong. When these allegations landed on the internet, netizens were shocked.
However, the idol cleared up rumors regarding the same during his recent interview with Ilgan Sports.
"Does it make any sense for me to be involved in clubs again? I’ve never planned it, nor have I mentioned it to anyone. I suspect these rumors are being further exploited abroad."
Additionally, he also addressed a recent controversy around a statement he made at a club in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in January 2024. As the idol casually performed at the bar's private party, he allegedly made the following statement:
"Someday, I will bring G-Dragon here."
He stated the same in an attempt to excite the crowd. However, he informed the Korean media outlet that he regrets making such a mistake:
"I got caught up in the moment and didn't handle myself appropriately. It was a mistake, and it won’t happen again."
On the other hand, Burning Sun is a 2019 controversy where a Gangnam club set up by the former BIGBANG member, Seungri, was exposed for various illegal activities. The club exposed several Korean celebrities to maintain a Kakao Talk group chat where nonconsensual videos of women and women harassment were circulated.
During the trial of this case, the owner, Seungri, was in the military, serving his mandatory enlistment. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment by the military court in August 2021.
The punishment was mitigated to 18 months and was finalized in the Supreme Court in May 2022. The idol was recently released after his 18-month prison time in February 2023.
