Former BIGBANG Member Seungri Denies Aggravated Assault Allegation, Vows to Cooperate With Police

Former BIGBANG member Seungri has denied allegations that he assaulted a man at a restaurant in Seoul, saying he will cooperate with police to "reveal the truth."

The Gangnam Police Station received a complaint on Aug. 26 accusing Seungri of aggravated assault. The complaint alleges that he assaulted a man in his 30s while the two were at a restaurant in Gangnam.

In an interview with Korean outlet on Sept. 10, Seungri acknowledged that an argument took place but disputed the assault allegation. He said the incident occurred at a restaurant in Gangnam on the morning of Aug. 8, when he was eating with two acquaintances.

According to Seungri, the complainant, whom he described as intoxicated, repeatedly asked to join their table despite being turned down. Seungri said he picked up a bottle while refusing the request but denied swinging it or using it to threaten the man.

He claimed the two later ended up drinking and talking together, exchanged phone numbers and parted on friendly terms. Seungri also said the man contacted him afterward about meeting again to discuss a business proposal, making the subsequent complaint unexpected.

Seungri said he has secured text messages, restaurant surveillance footage and statements from people who witnessed the interaction and plans to submit the material as part of the investigation. He added that two acquaintances who were with him were also named in the complaint and that they are considering filing a countercomplaint for false accusation.

"I will fully cooperate with the investigation and clarify what happened based on the facts," Seungri said, adding that he believes there may be "a specific motive" behind the complaint.

Police have yet to question the complainant and are expected to investigate the circumstances before determining whether the allegations warrant charges.

Seungri debuted with BIGBANG in 2006 before leaving the group and announcing his retirement from the entertainment industry in 2019 amid the Burning Sun scandal. He was later convicted on nine charges, including arranging prostitution, habitual gambling, embezzlement and instigating aggravated assault, and served an 18-month prison sentence before being released in February 2023.