Seungri of boy band Big Bang. YG Entertainment via The Korea Herald
SEOUL — Despite continued silence from Big Bang’s Seungri over allegations that an unlawful assault had occurred at his club, subsequent revelations about him continue to threaten his already-tarnished reputation.
Local broadcaster KBS on Wednesday evening reported a testimony by an alleged former employee of the Burning Sun club, suggesting that illegal drug use occurred at its VIP rooms.
A 28-year-old man named Kim Sang-kyo had recently claimed to have been physically abused by the security guards at the club and wrongfully arrested by the police, revealing CCTV image of him being assaulted. The club claimed that he was dragged out for sexually harassing a woman.
The employee interviewed by KBS said three undercover cops visited the place last December after receiving reports that someone was forced to smoke marijuana in the club, adding that VIPs would sometimes use drugs in the VIP room.
Korean law prohibits any use of the drug in Korea and by Korean citizens overseas.
Rumors about drug use in the club have been circulating the internet since an unverified photo of a woman being dragged out of Burning Sun surfaced earlier in the month, with the uploader claiming that the woman had been drugged.
In its official Instagram page, the club said that a drunken Thai woman was forced out of the premises for stealing alcohol and causing a disturbance. It also strongly denied that any drug use had occurred.
Other allegations included Seungri possibly knowing about the alleged assault that supposedly occurred last November.
According to KBS, a former employee of the club said that the singer on Jan. 13 — weeks before the assault case surfaced in the media — jokingly asked his workers, “Is this the place where the bouncers beat up people?”
The series of incidents have left Seungri in hot water, with many calling for the singer and his agency YG Entertainment to comment. While Burning Sun has pledged to fully cooperate with the investigations, both the singer and the label have remained mum.
The incident runs deeper than a pack of rogue bouncers, as it involves an accusation of corrupt collusion between the club and Gangnam Police Station.
The alleged victim Kim claimed that the police officers dispatched to the scene arrested only him based only on claims by the club employees, and that he was beaten up by the police.
Kim filed for an online petition to Cheong Wa Dae requesting an investigation on whether or not the police officers at the station are receiving bribes from Burning Sun, with over 250,000 signing it as of Thursday afternoon. The presidential is mandated to officially respond to any petition with 200,000 or more signatures.
Gangnam Police Station has claimed that unlike Kim’s claims, it took both him and the club workers in question into custody, and that Kim has consistently made a ruckus and cursed at the officers.
Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that it has designated an investigative team to probe series of allegations concerning Burning Sun, including accusations of sexual violence, drug use, Kim’s arrest, and whether there is an actual connection between the club and the police station.