CCTV footage showing former BIGBANG member Seungri (real name Lee Seung Hyun) at the scene of an incident that led to a complaint accusing him of aggravated assault has been released. The complainant alleged that Seungri “swung a soju bottle and threatened me,” while Seungri’s side disputed the account, saying, “It’s true that he picked up a bottle, but he never swung it or made physical contact. If an actual assault had taken place, wouldn’t it have been reported to 112 at the scene?” They also raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the complaint.
An acquaintance of Seungri, identified as “A,” who was present at the gathering and was also named in the complaint, told Ilgan Sports by phone on September 23, “Someone we didn’t know came over to our table and asked to join us, saying, ‘I have a business proposal I’d like to present.’ At first, we listened to him for a while and then asked him to leave, but he kept staying and talking about various things, and eventually an argument broke out.” A continued, “Seungri picked up a soju bottle, and another friend and I stopped him. We stopped him, but then that person [the complainant] filed a complaint claiming we had detained him. The whole situation is extremely baffling.”
On the same day, JTBC’s Crime Chief covered the aggravated assault complaint involving Seungri over an incident that allegedly occurred at a restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam, Seoul, on August 8. The program also released CCTV footage from the scene. In the video, Seungri can be seen holding a soju bottle and raising his arm while his acquaintances appear to restrain him.
Responding to the complainant’s allegations of confinement and assault, A said, “He was the one who came to our table, and we were the ones asking him to leave. We repeatedly told him, ‘You should get going now,’ but he kept refusing to leave, so Seungri eventually spoke more forcefully and told him to go. It’s true that Seungri picked up a bottle, but there was absolutely no physical contact beyond that. He claims we detained him, but we never confined him. The restaurant employees and the valet staff also know how the situation ended.”
A also disputed the complainant’s claim that Seungri’s group had initiated the confrontation. “We noticed people at the next table repeatedly looking over at us and whispering. After they paid and were leaving, I went outside to smoke and asked, ‘Did you happen to take any photos?’ They said no, so I specifically told them, ‘Please look kindly upon Seungri.’ I didn’t suddenly confront them by demanding to know why they were taking pictures, and there was no attempt to start a fight.”
A continued, “Common sense tells you that if someone had been assaulted, they would immediately call 112, wouldn’t they? He was saying, ‘I’ll bring the business proposal in a week,’ and then suddenly we received a complaint. It gave me chills.” A added, “After the complaint arrived, we went back to the restaurant and were told that the person had already obtained the CCTV footage the day after the incident. We had no idea about that and only found out later.”
A further disputed another allegation from the complainant, saying, “He claims that when he tried to leave, we threatened him by saying things like, ‘Gangsters are involved, and ethnic Koreans from China are involved too, so you’ll be in serious trouble if you just walk out of here.’ It’s absurd.” A added, “After this incident, I’ve become disillusioned with people. There are clearly aspects of this situation that we believe are unfair, and it’s disappointing to see it being reported in such an exaggerated way.”
Seungri also strongly denied the complainant’s claim that he had made remarks about organized crime, telling Ilgan Sports that the allegation was “completely groundless.” He said, “This was someone who said he would bring me a business proposal a week later, but the very next day his attitude suddenly changed and he warned that he would file a complaint. Then he filed complaints against my acquaintances as well, making claims that sound like something out of a novel.”
Meanwhile, Crime Chief relayed the complainant’s side of the story. The complainant alleged, “Three people stood there and blocked the passage so I couldn’t get out, while [Seungri] swung the soju bottle and threatened me. At one point, I blocked and grabbed it with my hand, and my hand was struck.” According to the program, the complainant further claimed that three members of Seungri’s group surrounded him while he was seated inside, effectively confining him. He also alleged that Seungri asked, “Do you think I’m a loser too?” before making threats that referenced alleged business ties with organized crime figures and people in China, including threats of serious physical violence.
Seungri’s side has continued to deny the allegations, stating, “The other person asked to join the table because he said he had a business proposal. During the process of rejecting him, Seungri did pick up a soju bottle, but there was no physical contact.”
Meanwhile, the complainant told Crime Chief that he had acted friendly in messages sent the day after meeting Seungri because “I was scared, so I was pretending.” As of the report, the complainant had not yet been questioned by investigators.
Sources: Naver