Seungri

 ( 1990 Births ) 

On May 8, after a total of 17 closed-door police interrogations, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency requested an arrest warrant for Seungri over the following charges: prostitution mediation, embezzlement of Burning Sun funds (according to the police, Seungri directly intervened in the misappropriation of about 200M Won from Burning Sun as brand fee for Monkey Museum, a bar owned by Seungri), and violation of the Food Sanitation Act (related to Monkey Museum wrongfully registering business). On May 14, Seoul District Court rejected the arrest warrant saying that embezzlement, a major charge, was open to dispute, and that it was difficult to certify the reasons for detention have been met, such as the destruction of evidence, for the remaining suspicions which included prostitution mediation. In addition, the court's reason for rejection included prosecution's inability to show the existence and scope of criminal liability of Seungri. On May 15, police stated that it would be difficult to reapply for arrest warrant, and they would finalize the investigation prior to Seungri's military enlistment date.

However, on June 25, the police stated that his case has been forwarded to prosecution with seven charges: procuring sex service, prostitution mediation, embezzlement of business funds for hiring a legal representative, embezzlement of club Burning Sun revenues, attempt at destruction of evidence, distribution of illegally-filmed content via social platforms, and violation of the Food Sanitation Act. On August 28, 2019, Seungri was additionally questioned in connection with illegal gambling. On January 10, 2020, the prosecution announced they had requested a second arrest warrant for Seungri on seven charges. The arrest warrant was again denied, with the court saying that detention didn't seem necessary considering his attitude towards the investigation and not meeting reasons for detention.

Regarding the allegations related to prostitution (prostitution mediation and prostitution for self), Seungri's lawyer stated that Seungri had no reason to mediate prostitution and that he didn't recall having sexual intercourse with the woman in question, who he thought was just a person who wanted to meet him. During the trial, the witnesses confirmed that it was Yoo In-Seok who ordered prostitution, not Seungri.

Regarding the charge of distributing obscene material, Seungri's defense stated that he only shared with friends a photo that was not taken by him, but was sent to him from an entertainment bar.

For the charge of habitual gambling, Seungri's lawyer answered that Seungri didn't gamble as a habit, and that he visited the United States for work and not purposely for gambling. Habitual gambling is illegal but not gambling for momentary pleasure.

The charge of embezzlement is divided in two different charges, for which Seungri's side declared that Seungri had no motive or intent to commit embezzlement. Seungri's charges also include Violation of Food Sanitation Act (for inappropriately declaring Monkey Museum as a restaurant instead of an entertainment establishment).

On January 14 the Prosecutor added the charge of eliciting violence against Seungri. In 2015, a drunk customer in a bar entered into the private room of Seungri and his acquaintances: the prosecution claimed that after an argument, Seungri called Yoo In-Seok who involved gang members into the argument to threaten the man. The prosecution claimed Seungri conspired with Yoo thus charging him as instigating co-conspirator. However, Seungri claimed that he didn't have anything to do with the gangsters, and during the 15th hearing one of the alleged victims said that he didn't feel threatened at the time, while the other one stated that he didn't know at all that Seungri could be related to the incident.

The trial also encountered an issue related to confirmation bias: on March 25, 2021, after the 13th hearing for Seungri's trial, a witness claimed that the police had written up a statement against Seungri that he actually never made. Prosecution's other witnesses also claimed that the investigators put pressure on them in giving false testimonies, probably due to the pressure from media and public to find Seungri guilty. Many of the witnesses also claimed that the prosecution slightly changed their answers or seemed to have designed questioning with the target of arriving at Seungri's name.

On August 12, 2021, Seungri was sentenced to a three-year prison term, a fine of (), and immediate detention.

On January 27, 2022, after a final appeal at the South Korean High Court for Armed Forces, his prison sentence was reduced to 18 months. Seungri pleaded guilty to all charges brought against him. He also stated that he would reflect on his actions.

His sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court of Korea on May 26, 2022, whereupon Seungri was discharged from the military and transferred to a civilian prison to serve the remainder of his term.

On February 6, 2023, it was reported that Seungri would be released from prison on February 11. On February 9, 2023, Seungri was released from prison.

In 2014, Seungri started a café business. Purchasing a license for traditional Belgian waffles, he opened a waffle café And Here at Daehangno which he left to his mother to run. Seungri opened his private bar called Monkey Museum night club in Changsha, Hunan, China in partnership with Luk Hing Entertainment. He also founded a record label Natural High Record alongside other DJs. In December 2016, he launched a Japanese ramen restaurant franchise called Aori Ramen in Seoul. During 2017, the franchise expanded through Asia, and in November, he announced that he would open the 15th branch in Kuala Lumpur. In early 2017, he invested in the medical cosmetic brand Dr. Gloderm, acquiring 10% of the cosmetic company's shares. Seungri now has a company name for all his investments under YURI HOLDINGS.

In 2018, Seungri was revealed to be collaborating with Liquid State, an electronic dance music label newly launched by Sony Music Entertainment and Tencent Music Entertainment. He would serve as the label's ambassador and be involved in music collaborations. In June, Seungri become the CEO of YGX, a label under YG Entertainment, Seungri will work on recruiting talented hip-hop rookies and running entertainment businesses. The label company was merged with Seungri's DJ label Natural High Record, it will also be in charge of HIGHGRND and a dance academy called YGX Academy. In 2019, he resigned from all management positions before his military enlistment, as required by Korean law.

Seungri, under the name Richard Lee, participated in his first jiu-jitsu match under the Japan Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation in 2017. He won two medals, silver medal in adult white open-weight class and bronze medal for adult white featherweight class. He also earned a black belt in taekwondo.

In December 2017, Seungri, along with 30 Aori Ramen employees and his father, delivered coal briquettes to low-income families for cooking and heating their homes. He also donated 100 million won to global children welfare agency ChildFund.

On March 9, 2020, Seungri enlisted in the military at the 6th Infantry Recruit Training Center in Cheorwon County, Gangwon Province. He did not answer any of the press' questions on his way to the training center.

On October 1, 2021, it was reported that the verdict was not final while the trial was referred to the Court of Appeal. Seungri was subsequently suspended from military service.

On June 8, 2022, the Army Headquarters' Human Resources Division fired Seungri, who was sentenced to one year and six months in prison based on the Supreme Court verdict. He was transferred from the Military Prison in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do to the nearest civilian prison, Yeoju Prison.

• The Great Seungri (2018)

• The Great Seungri (2018)