BIGBANG is now 4 members after Seungri leaving

[The Enigmatic 3,697]

 

 

On March 11, 2019, Seungri announced he would retire from the entertainment industry due to scandals surrounding Club Burning Sun, resulting in his departure from Big Bang.

The Korean star is in the middle of an investigation on allegations that he solicited prostitutes for investors for his businesses.

He was also tagged in the investigation on Burning Sun for drug abuse and sexual abuse.

The club closed down earlier this month. 

Seungri had apologized for the scandal during one of of the legs of his current tour, which included a stop in Manila in January.

He is expected to start his mandatory military service on March 25 as an active duty soldier. 

What's he accused of?

Spoiler

 

Seungri was questioned by police in February over reports of drug-taking and sexual assault at the Burning Sun club, where he was a public relations director.

Local media reports have also linked the singer to "sex bribery" - or providing sex services to potential investors in his company Yuri Holdings, which manages his entertainment and restaurant businesses.

The lobbying is alleged to have happened at nightclubs in Seoul, South Korea's capital.

Prostitution is illegal in South Korea.

It is alleged that Seungri tried to obtain prostitutes for clients through a group chat on the messaging app KakaoTalk in 2015. Messages have emerged which appear to show him urging a staff member to make the arrangements.

He was also allegedly part of a chat where secretly-filmed sex videos were shared. The hidden camera clips were allegedly taped by another K-pop singer, Jung Joon-young. Korean broadcaster SBS reports that 10 women were filmed. Jung's agency said he would fully cooperate with police investigations.

 

How has South Korea reacted?

Spoiler

 

Seungri, who was once described as "the Great Gatsby of Korea" for his lavish lifestyle, has a gigantic fanbase - but some had called for him to leave Big Bang as the scandal swept the country.

A petition surfaced last week calling for him to step aside after causing "unrecoverable damage to the group's reputation".

The singer said in his Instagram statement: "I have faced heavy criticism from the public for the last month and-a-half and I'm being probed by all investigative authorities in the country.

"As I've been branded as a 'national traitor', I cannot stand the fact that I'm harming others for my own sake."

A former supporter replied to the post saying: "I'm so embarrassed at myself for being your fan for the last 10 years."

Others pledged to stand by Seungri and the band. Fan @_nhungnhim29 wrote simply: "We'll never let you go."

Shares in the Seungri's talent agency, YG Entertainment Inc, fell 15.6% on Monday, the day his retirement was announced, reaching their lowest level since November 2018.

Seungri isn't the first member of Big Bang to be embroiled in controversy, however.

In 2011, band leader G-Dragon was investigated for smoking marijuana, which is illegal in South Korea, but was released without charge.

Another member, rapper T.O.P, was handed a 10-month suspended prison sentence for marijuana use in 2017.

 

How big is BIGBANG in Korea?

Spoiler

In South Korea they are showbiz royalty - but their popularity has spread across Asia and the rest of the world.

In 2016, Forbes magazine named G-Dragon as the most influential person under 30 in Asia's entertainment and sports industries.

An example of the band's fame in action: G-Dragon is currently performing his two-year term of military service - which is mandatory for able-bodied men in South Korea. When it began, he got such a deluge of supportive letters that his army base ran out of paper to print them on, and fans had to be urged to show restraint. 

 

 

Source : 

Spoiler

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47521528

 

[Ryusei 60,889]

tbh in korea big bang is basically 1 now lol Taeyang is the only one who has a positive image left. Also seungri should go to prison but seeing all that police corruption makes me think none of those involved in this huge scandal will face any consequences which is a shame.

[Sunny 12,735]

First T.O.P., now Seungri (and G-Dragon before)

I didn't really like their last few singles, but it's still sad. They made great music, too bad the members are a mess

Lies is still that song

[Neight Shayde 7,925]

I don't think Big Bang will ever release something again. There might be solo efforts, but seungri's crime is the final nail in the group's coffin tbh

 

[mister max 18,480]

He should have just sat there and ate his food instead of chatting about illegal videos

He's a mess and if he is indeed guilty he needs to go to prison ASAP

[The Enigmatic 3,697]

1 minute ago, BrothaGaga said:

I don't think Big Bang will ever release something again. There might be solo efforts, but seungri's crime is the final nail in the group's coffin tbh

 

it's really sad how a very huge k pop  group dies like that

i hope there is a last chance 

and come back with a bang

[Neight Shayde 7,925]

3 minutes ago, Enigmatic Rebel said:

it's really sad how a very huge k pop  group dies like that

i hope there is a last chance 

and come back with a bang

It has brought YG so much stress (he got thrown into the den with that tax evasion case) so I highly doubt it.

I just don't know what it is with YG and his artists. Another group with another tragic fate.

 

[Katsuki Bakugo 9,788]

First 2ne1 now BigBang. My Kpop babies are gone and never returning!

[FentyGa 14,340]

tbh I gasped but thank god it's just him lmao
he and daesung always faded into the background to me
thank god it wasn't one of the big three