SEOUL, Aug 14 — Former K-pop star Seungri has denied reports suggesting he would attend an Indonesian event named after the scandal that led to his exit from the South Korean entertainment industry, according to a Straits Times report.
The controversy began when Indonesian event organiser TSV Management announced an event called Burning Sun Surabaya on Instagram Stories.
The post included Seungri’s image and the phrase “Best Honour,” sparking outrage due to its association with the 2019 Burning Sun scandal involving sex, drugs, and police protection.
Originally scheduled for August 31 at Gentlemens club in Surabaya, the event appeared to reference the infamous Seoul nightclub scandal.
Seungri, whose real name is Lee Seung-hyun, was sentenced to three years in prison, later reduced to 18 months, and completed his sentence in February 2023. He was convicted on multiple charges, including sex trafficking and misappropriation of funds.
In an exclusive interview with South Korean media outlet Ilgan Sports on August 11, Seungri refuted the association with the event, calling them “obviously ridiculous.”
He was quoted saying: “I don’t even know where the Indonesian region is” and confirmed he had no plans to attend.
Seungri also warned of potential legal action for infringement of image rights and defamation due to the false information. “I want to live quietly, but stories about me keep coming out, so I have to set the record straight,” he reportedly said.
In response, TSV and Gentlemens clarified in a video posted on Instagram that Seungri's name was used to highlight safety issues for clubgoers and not to indicate his attendance.
They also said that Burning Sun Surabaya event will be cancelled following the backlash.
