Outrage over disgraced K-pop star Seungri performing at Malaysian private event
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Former BigBang boy band member Seungri was convicted of arranging prostitution and other charges stemming from a sex and drugs scandal in 2021.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
KUALA LUMPUR – Netizens are furious to see that former BigBang member Seungri is continuing to enjoy the perks of being an idol, even performing at a private birthday party in Malaysia.
A one-minute video of the party was shared on Instagram by Malaysian news portal Says.com on May 19. It is not clear when the celebration took place.
In the video, the disgraced K-pop star could be seen enjoying himself while entertaining the audience at an entrepreneur’s birthday celebration, which was held at a Chinese restaurant.
Seungri, wearing a grey suit, was singing the song Bang Bang Bang, which was popularised by his former group in 2015.
In the comments section, many Malaysian netizens expressed their anger and asked the public to boycott the singer due to his previous actions towards women.
“Worried he’ll start a Burning Sun business here, afraid he’ll become a pimp for rich people in Malaysia too,” said one netizen.
“He has businesses in Malaysia, worried he’ll use them to cover his evil intentions,” added another.
The Burning Sun scandal is back in the spotlight with the release of BBC’s Burning Sun: Exposing The Secret K-Pop Chat Groups documentary on May 19.
The British TV documentary detailed how two female South Korean journalists exposed sex scandals involving prominent K-pop stars in 2019. It also offered new footage on the nightclub scandal.
Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, was released from prison in February 2023
He was convicted on nine charges, including arranging sex trafficking for foreign investors in 2015 and misappropriating funds from Burning Sun, a nightclub in Gangnam to which he was affiliated.
The court also found him guilty of eight accounts of illicit gambling.
Seungri began his career as a member of BigBang in 2006, drawing global fame with a number of hits. He left the group in 2019 after the scandal broke.
Two other South Korean entertainers were convicted in the Burning Sun scandal.
Choi Jong-hoon, formerly of K-pop group FT Island, was released in 2021 after two years and six months in prison. Singer Jung Joon-young was released on March 19 after serving five years in prison. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
