In response, the Gyeonggi Southern Provincial Police Agency’s narcotics investigation team recently stated, “We will initiate contact with ‘A,’ who shared KakaoTalk messages with B.I regarding drug purchases, and if there are any changes in the testimony given by ‘A,’ we will look into reopening the investigation.”. Back in March, Seungri retired from the industry after being booked on charges of supplying prostitutes. Last month, YG shares dropped following allegations that founder Yang Hyun-Suk was involved in prostitution mediation. iKON's B.I Leaves Group After Allegations of Purchasing Drugs. I'm an arts journalist with a focus on the music industry. iKON leader B.I announced his departure from the popular Korean group on Wednesday, shortly after news broke that he had looked into purchasing drugs several years ago. K-pop sensations iKON have been rocked by B.I quitting the group following a drug controversy. – On June 12, 2019 Dispatch reported that B.I was accused of attempting to illegally purchase drugs in 2016. “The six members [of iKON] will carry out iKON’s Japanese tour, which is scheduled to begin on July 27, as planned.”. iKON leader in his Instagram post mentioned that he apologised to his fans and also band members. However, after the interrogation ended, it was reported that B.I's status in the investigation was changed from witness to suspect. In an exclusive report by Dispatch, they have revealed that iKON‘s leader B.I was suspected of drug crimes such as attempting to purchase LSD and Marijuana back in August 2016. (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage). (Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage), America's Top Givers: The 25 Most Philanthropic Billionaires, Impact 50: Investors Seeking Profit — And Pushing For Change, ‘Relic’: An Australian Horror Movie On The Heartbreaking Reality Of Dementia, Carrie Underwood On Five Years Of CALIA, Staying Creative, And Christmas Album ‘My Gift’, Ari Lennox Draws On The Past To Thrive In The Present, ‘Mariah Carey’s Magical Christmas Special’ To Premiere On Apple TV+, How VMAs Host Keke Palmer Took COVID-19 Precautions Ahead Of 2020 Show, TikTok Star Charli D’Amelio To Release First Book. “We are truly sorry for giving the fans cause for disappointment due to this matter regarding iKON’s B.I,” the rep said, according to Soompi’s translation. As of June 12, the company’s stocks were valued at 31,950 KRW (or $27), which Soompi reported as a 4.05% drop from the previous day. The police are also planning to summon ex-CEO of YG Entertainment, Yang Hyun-suk under the suspicion of allegedly threatening and blackmailing 'A' (Han Seo-Hee) after she confessed to drug allegations that implicated B.I. Press Releases In the News Events Mediakit Social Media Awards. Dispatch has acquired Kakaotalk chat logs between B.I and Mr “A”, showing their conversations about drugs started in April 2016. Just hours after a report alleging iKONs B.I had tried to buy hallucinogenic drug LSD in the past, the singer announced he will leave the band that he debuted with in 2015. For the full breakdown of the incident, read the complete timeline of the events that transpired in June 2019 here. “YG strictly manages its artists for drug use,” they wrote. Teenager dies after falling during cliff walk . “We bow our heads and apologize for disappointing everyone with our artist Kim Han Bin’s problem,” the company said, according to Soompi’s translation. He was reportedly questioned by the police regarding the 2016 drug case that he was allegedly involved in. Asia Staff 12 Jun, 2019 9:26 AM Tags. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! I’ve written features about everyone from Father John Misty to Red Velvet to Joji. © 2021 Forbes Media LLC. B. I (iKon) Profile and Facts; B.I’s Ideal Type Stage Name: B.I (비아이) Birth Name: Kim Han Bin (김한빈) Position: Leader, Lead Rapper, Lead Dancer, Vocalist, Center Birthday: October 22, 1996 Zodiac sign: Libra Height: 175 cm (5’9″) Weight: 60 kg (132 lbs) Blood Type: O Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea Instagram: @shxxbi131 B. I facts: […] Yang previously denied these allegations, stating, "She got scared and she chose to take back her previous statement herself.". iKon are returning a year after B.I left over a drug scandal. On 17 September, 22-year-old rapper and former leader of K-pop boy group iKON, B.I was summoned to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency at 9am KST. 14/12/2020. Former iKon leader B.I. By Dong Sun-hwa K-pop act iKon are set to make their comeback after former leader B.I quit the band last year over a drug scandal. You may opt-out by. On June 12, he suddenly announced that he leaving K-POP group. YG Entertainment stocks took another hit following this development. SEOUL, June 12 (Yonhap) -- B.I, the songwriting leader of K-pop boy band iKON, left the band on Wednesday on allegations that he bought prohibited drugs three years ago, dealing another crushing blow to the band's management agency YG Entertainment. iKON's B.I Leaves Group After Allegations of Purchasing Drugs The leader of K-pop boy group, iKON reportedly attempted to purchase drugs . left the group in 2019 after a drug scandal. Duterte’s remarks came amid acknowledgement he could face criminal charges for the bloody drug war he launched after taking office in 2016, as at least two complaints for crimes against humanity and mass murder are being examined by an International Criminal Court prosecutor. ICON regularly contributes thought leadership to industry media publications and conferences, and has been recognised as one of the world’s leading Contract Research Organisations through a number of high-profile industry awards. “Kim Han Bin is feeling heavy responsibility due to the impact of this matter. gyulee@koreatimes.co.kr More articles by this reporter Conflicts over noise in apartments on the rise amid pandemic iKON members all received a drug test prior to their promotions. Fans created a petition on Change.org to show support for B.I, asserting that he shouldn’t have to leave iKON. January 23, 2019 in Seoul, South Korea. Local media Dispatch raised drug-use allegations Wednesday against B.I, leader of K-pop boy band iKON, but said his agency YG Entertainment denied them. Das Unternehmen entwickelt, produziert und vertreibt unter den traditionsreichen und zukunftsweisenden Marken ASSA ABLOY, IKON, effeff, KESO, ASSA und Yale hochwertige Produkte und vielseitige Systeme für den privaten, gewerblichen und öffentlichen Bereich. It was later revealed that 'A' was a former YG trainee named Han Seo-hee, who was previously caught for smoking marijuana with Big Bang's T.O.P. was responsible for the songwriting and production of all the group's material. YG Entertainment is strictly managing drug usage for all artists. It was not revealed by the police what B.I specifically admitted to. Reporters were waiting for the idol when he left the station and asked him questions regarding the 2016 drug case, as well as his interrogation. In the texts that were dated April 2016, B.I reportedly attempted to purchase marijuana and LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, a type of psychoactive drug) from 'A'. According to The Korea Herald, drug offenses can result in sentences between six months and four years in prison. All rights reserved. His fans express their shock and sorrows in twitter regarding BI alleged drug use. According to local news outlets such as SBS News and The Korea Times, B.I allegedly admitted to some of the charges, but not all. Read More News & Events. He then got into his vehicle and left. “This Is For The Biopic”—Ant Clemons And The Perspective Of Success. YG’s market capitalization fell to 581.4 billion KRW (or $490 million) on June 12 from 834.7 billion KRW (or $703.6 million) in January. From 2016 to 2017, the group released the singles "#WYD" and "New Kids: Begin", and directed their focus on group's first Asia tour and several Japanese tours. The hashtag has went on the trending top of many Asian countries. According to Soompi, the police did not investigate B.I at the time. Yesterday, B.I was interrogated by the police for 14 hours, leaving the police station at 11.20pm KST. B.I is not connected to the 2016 drug case. By E! Hipgnosis Songs Acquires Music Catalog Of Popular Hip-Hop/R&B Producer No I.D. The rapper paused to say, "I'm really sorry for causing trouble. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. However, even with the suspicions, the police did not investigate him. A new report from Dispatch has alleged that iKON leader B.I attempted to purchase illegal drugs in 2016. On 17 September, 22-year-old rapper and former leader of K-pop boy group iKON, B.I was summoned to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency at 9am KST. The rapper (née Kim Han Bin) has over 50 copyrighted songwriting credits through the Korea Music Copyright Association, where he became a full member earlier in the year. – On June 12, 2019 YG announced that following the drug scandal, B.I decided to leave the band and terminate his exclusive contract. His company, YG Entertainment, quickly confirmed the termination of his contract. My main focus at Forbes is global pop trends, but I cut my teeth on the indie rock beat. A YG representative later confirmed to Korean outlet SPOTV News that iKON will carry out their Japanese tour with the six remaining members. “I’m deeply sorry for causing a controversy over my inappropriate behavior,” he wrote, according to The Korea Herald’s translation. But I was too scared and worried to follow through.”, YG Entertainment also released an official statement about the development. YG purchases a simple drug test kit every 2 months from the United States and tests our artists. B.I, 22, who quit the Korean boy band in July, was said to have bought drugs in 2016. Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. Forbes reached out to YG Entertainment for comment. My words can be found in publications like Billboard, Entertainment Weekly, MTV News, Genius, South China Morning Post, PopCrush and Soompi. This development follows a series of investigations surrounding YG Entertainment this year. Taking the matter seriously, he has decided to leave the team and terminate his exclusive contract.”. Including B.I, none of the members showed any signs of drugs at that time. ASSA ABLOY Sicherheitstechnik GmbH. ICON supports Pfizer and BioNTech on COVID-19 vaccine trial. SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JANUARY 23: B.I of boy band iKON attends the 8th Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards on ... [+] January 23, 2019 in Seoul, South Korea. Korean tabloid Dispatch surfaced the allegations in a report that included screenshots from a 2016 KakaoTalk exchange in which B.I allegedly solicited the drugs from individual “A.” The anonymous “A” individual was reportedly arrested in 2016 on charges of smoking marijuana, which was when the text messages were obtained. Turkmenistan's leader burns seized drugs on camera Turkmenistan shares a long and porous border with Afghanistan, lying on one of the major heroin trafficking routes to Europe Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and ​celebrity gossip. B.I remained silent and only spoke up when a reporter asked if he had anything to say to his fans. I’m a freelance writer based in California who covers the music industry. Fans are worried for this boy group because they have lost their soul. The rising star was recently featured in labelmate Lee Hi’s long-awaited comeback single, “No One.”, In a statement on Instagram, B.I appeared to admit that he considered purchasing the drugs, but he denied taking them. I’ve. “It’s true that I had interest in something to rely on which I shouldn’t have at one point when I was having a hard time. I’m a freelance writer based in California who covers the music industry. My main focus at Forbes is global pop trends, but I cut my teeth on the indie rock beat. Korea takes a hard stance against drugs. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. On 12 June this year, South Korean tabloid, Dispatch revealed KakaoTalk conversations between B.I and an individual referred to as 'A'. The petition has drawn over 575,000 signatures at press time. MANILA, Philippines – iKON leader B.I announced on Wednesday, June 12, his departure from the K-pop group following reports he attempted to purchase illegal drugs in 2016. On June 12, K-pop fans around the world woke to the news that B.I (real name Kim Hanbin), the leader and songwriter for the popular seven-member boy group iKON, had allegedly attempted to purchase marijuana and LSD in 2016. Hours after the news broke that iKON’s leader B.I allegedly attempted to purchase marijuana and LSD in 2016, the idol announced his departure from the K-pop group in an Instagram post. The rapper has been booked by the police on suspicions of violating the Act on the Control of Narcotics and will be forwarded to the prosecution office. ICON regularly contributes thought leadership to industry media publications and conferences, and has been recognised as one of the world’s leading Contract Research Organisations through a number of high-profile industry awards. As the leader of iKON, B.I. In 2019, the “Big 3” agency has faced a decline in stocks amid a slew of scandals. According to the outlet, YG's spokesperson said Monday the record label has been maintaining strict control over artists' drug use. Hours after the news broke that iKON’s leader B.I allegedly attempted to purchase marijuana and LSD in 2016, the idol announced his departure from the K-pop group in an Instagram post. ICON supports Pfizer and BioNTech on COVID-19 vaccine trial. After iKON’s appearance at the airport, fans have trended the hashtag #WeMissOur131 to show their love for the former leader (his nickname was 131). B.I’s label, YG Entertainment, immediately issued a statement denying the story. “If you get killed, it’s because I’m enraged by drugs,” he added. iKon (Korean: 아이콘 ... which lead the group to receive numerous accolades on major Asian music awards. © 2021 E! I earned a bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley and a master’s degree from the Columbia Journalism School. Press Releases In the News Events Mediakit Social Media Awards. 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