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BTS’ Suga receives an apology from Yonhap News’ English YouTube channel, KOREA NOW. On Monday, August 19, KOREA NOW issued an apology to the BTS rapper and their viewers for releasing misleading CCTV footage, claiming it to be Suga during his DUI incident.
On August 13, Yonhap News unveiled footage claiming that the person riding a scooter and falling in the bush was the Haegeum singer. Later, on August 14, Donga Ilbo released footage that showcased Suga riding an electric scooter/kickboard and falling at the entrance of the Nine One Hannam complex.
Yonhap News along with other media houses that released a CCTV video claiming it to be a BTS member, received massive backlash from fans and Korean netizens for reporting misleading news.
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On August 19, Yonhap News issued an apology on the KOREA NOW YouTube community post.
They stated,
“We at KOREA NOW apologize to BTS Suga and viewers for mistakenly linking the star's e-scooter DUI incident with the wrong CCTV footage. We would also like to inform our audience that the news report has been removed from our channel as of Aug. 19.”
They further added,
“As we acknowledge the importance of accurate reporting, particularly when it involves public figures, KOREA NOW will pay closer attention to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Thank You.”
Why are netizens not happy with Yonhap News's apology to BTS’ Suga?
On August 6, BTS’ Suga was booked for drunk driving in Yongsan on an electric scooter/kickboard. According to Donga Ilbo's CCTV footage on August 14, Suga reportedly took a left turn at the Nine One Hannam complex and while doing so, the singer lost his balance.
The D-Day singer reportedly fell at the entrance, according to the clip, around 11:10 pm KST and three policemen who were patrolling the area conducted a breathalyzer test. Previously, on August 13, Yonhap News showed another alleged video of a person riding a scooter, claiming it to be a BTS member. The media agency claimed that the Daechwita singer was speeding down the sidewalk, crashed into a curb, and fell.
According to the alleged footage, a white dot was sliding up from south to north on Hannam Street. The footage was reportedly broadcast through the official newsroom and was later shared on the YouTube channel of Yonhap News. However, KOREA NOW, the English news platform affiliated with Yonhap News, issued a statement admitting that the footage was misleading. They apologized to the viewers and removed the video from the channel.
Netizens have expressed their anger online as they believe this incident has defamed the artist and expressed that Yonhap News should apologize in Korean through the Korean channel. The netizens trended phrases like “Apologize in Korean”. Netizens also demanded that the media agency apologize on air.
Suga's apology
On August 7, Suga made a post admitting to his actions on Weverse and apologized to fans and people concerned.
He stated,
“I apologize to everyone who has been hurt by my careless and wrong behavior, and I will be more careful with my actions so that this does not happen in the future.”
The same day, his agency BIGHIT MUSIC, also issued a statement confirming that no casualties or property damage occurred. In another statement, they also apologized for the inconsistency regarding the vehicle and stated they were investigating the same
