K-Pop Star Seungri Charged With Prostitution Racket; Announces Retirement
The youngest member of K-Pop band Big Bang, Seungri, announced his retirement from the band in the midst of allegations and charges of supplying prostitutes at his nightclub.
Seungri, who is also called with a nickname Great Gatsby of Korea decided to quit the band to clear his name from prostitute ring, saying ‘scandal is too big’.
The youngest member of Big Bang has announced that he will retire and fight the charges to spare his management agency YG Entertainment and his fellow band members. The charges against Seungri spread across social media on Monday which dipped YG Entertainment stocks by 16% and causing loss to K-Pop management company.
He is currently facing charges of procuring prostitutes for the elite businessmen in Seoul’s famous nightclubs at Gangnam district..
Prostitution is illegal in South Korea. The charges which are against him can lead to a prison sentence of up to three years. He has denied all the allegations. Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, wrote on his Instagram account that he had decided to quit the pop industry.“It would be better for me to retire from the entertainment scene at this point,” he said. “As this scandal is too big, I have decided to retire. As for the ongoing investigation, I will take it seriously to clear myself of all the allegations.
“I give my heartfelt, sincere thanks to fans at home and abroad who gave their love for the past 10 years, and I think this should be it for the sake of the reputation of YG and Big Bang.”
The singer has been in the headlines for several weeks since January. There was an assault at the club and a video was circulated online. In late January, Seoul Police announced that they were investigating the club. The allegations included the supply of drugs to patrons, and staff, supplying drug-addled women for VIP clients to have sex with.
But at the end of February, a series of text messages emerged which were dated back in 2015. The chat messages show Seungri and three other people discussing supplying prostitutes to potential investors at the club and his Yuri Holdings company.
This investigation has led to speculation that the singer would be unable to join his national service this month. In South Korea, all able-bodied men aged 18-35 must serve for a minimum of 21 months, a measure seen as a deterrent against North Korean aggression. But the police have said they would continue their investigation even if Seungri is serving in the army.
“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,” he said in his Instagram post. “As I’ve been branded as a ‘national traitor’, I cannot stand the fact that I’m harming others for my own sake.”
South Korean media have also reported that Seungri's passport is been confiscated on the grounds of official suspect.
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