Thursday, October 06, 2011

Korean TV stations will not ban G-Dragon; YG Entertainment apologizes

Despite being proven that he smoked marijuana, Big Bang leader G-Dragon will not be sanctioned by Korean TV stations and will be allowed to appear on TV. This as YG Entertainment, Big Bang’s agency, issued a letter of apology for G-Dragon’s misconduct.

TV stations KBS, SBS and MBC have decided that since G-Dragon got a suspended indictment and that he was not formally charged for the crime, his TV appearances will not be restricted. G-Dragon was found positive for using marijuana after undergoing hair drug test in July.

Korean TV stations usually ban celebrities that became involved in illegal drugs and other controversies. KBS and MBC, for instance, have banned 36 celebrities for different offenses including 12 that were involved in drugs.

YG Entertainment’s formal apology, translated by fan forum Soompi.com, offered G-Dragon’s version of the incident in Japan where he accepted a cigarette from a stranger in a club. That cigarette turned out to be marijuana.

The agency said G-Dragon was investigated by the Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office on suspicion that he used marijuana.

“While trying to find the reason how such a result would occur, he remembered a memory from his Japanese tour in May. He was at a party with several Japanese representatives that visited his concert. During the party, a Japanese individual that is believed to be a fan greeted G-Dragon and offered him a cigarette. Out of goodwill, G-Dragon accepted the cigarette. After taking two puffs he realized that it was different from normal cigarettes and threw the cigarette into the toilet,” YG Entertainment explained.

YG Entertainment said when it became known that G-Dragon was positive for marijuana use, the singer’s “memory came back, and confessed to the prosecutor’s office during the investigation.”

Prosecutors decided not to charge G-Dragon since the amount of marijuana found in his body was too small. “Although, there weren’t any other legal penalties for this incident, we believe that the guilt and responsibility that G-Dragon and YG Entertainment has to bear is heavier than any legal penalty,” the agency said, promising that it will not allow a similar incident to happen again.

Manila Bulletin

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