A photo posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday as part of the Suga Challenge, intended to mock BTS member Suga, who was caught drunk driving on an electric scooter on Tuesday / Captured from X (@SinBsCat)

A social media user overseas posted a photo on X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday, showing six bottles of whiskey stacked in front of a car steering wheel, captioned: "Always with you, Min Yoon-gi."

Min Yoon-gi is the real name of BTS member Suga, who was caught by police on Tuesday for riding an electric scooter while under the influence of alcohol. The post appears to mock Suga's drunk driving incident.

Similar posts have flooded X recently.

Another user posted a photo holding a beer bottle in front of the steering wheel, with the message "Always with you."

These posts commonly include the hashtag #SugaChallenge, mocking Suga. "Challenge" on social media refers to participating in a trending phenomenon, such as the Ice Bucket Challenge, which involves pouring ice water over oneself to raise funds for charity.

In Suga's case, the challenge has taken a mocking tone, targeting his criminal behavior.

A video posted by a user participating in the Suga Challenge, showing a driver drinking vodka while operating a vehicle. / Captured from X (@Kpopmercenary)

Outrage over dangerous behavior

Some participants have posted videos that suggest real drunk driving. In one such video shared by a user on X, a driver is seen drinking vodka while steering a vehicle. The caption read, "I quickly got into my BMW to join the Suga Challenge."

The dangerous trend has drawn significant criticism. One overseas user condemned the behavior, saying, "People have died from drunk driving, and we should not justify such reckless behavior."

Korean social media users have also expressed their anger, with one commenting, "There are too many people out of their minds."

Suga faces police investigation

Meanwhile, Suga is expected to appear before the police soon for a formal investigation into the circumstances of his drunk driving incident. On the day of the event, Suga was reportedly heavily intoxicated, and the police allowed him to return home after conducting a breathalyzer test.

Both Suga and BigHit Music released a statement, acknowledging that he had received a fine and had his license revoked following the breathalyzer test.

However, there has been criticism that the incident may be downplayed, especially since the electric scooter Suga was riding was initially referred to as an "electric kickboard" despite having a seat, which sparked further backlash.

The agency later issued a statement, saying, "We failed to recognize that further procedures were pending and mistakenly considered the matter resolved. We will fully cooperate with the police's additional investigation and humbly accept the results."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, a sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI and edited by staff of The Korea Times.