SEUNGRI
Images from CCTV showing the scene where SEUNGRI (real name Lee Seung Hyun), a former member of the group BIGBANG prosecuted for aggravated assault, have been revealed.
The complainant claimed that “SEUNGRI brandished a bottle of soju and uttered threats”, but SEUNGRI‘s camp expressed doubts about the motives of the complaint by stating: “It is true that he was holding a bottle of alcohol, but he never brandished it nor had physical contact. If there had been a real assault, shouldn’t they have called 112 on the spot?”.
“A”, a relative of SEUNGRI who was present at the table and who was prosecuted together, declared during a phone interview with the media Ilgan Sports on September 23: “An unknown person came to our table and asked to join us, saying “I have a business plan, I want to make you a proposal”. At first, we listened a bit and then we asked him to leave, but he continued not to leave and to talk about various things, then an altercation broke out”, and added: “SEUNGRI took a bottle of soju, so another diner and I restrained him. We restrained him, but this person (the complainant) filed a complaint claiming that we had confined him, which is a completely absurd situation”.
On that day, “Crime Chief” of JTBC dealt with the aggravated assault case involving SEUNGRI, which took place on the 8th of last month in a restaurant in the neighborhood of Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu in Seoul, and revealed a CCTV video containing the situation of the time. In the video, SEUNGRI was holding a bottle of soju, his arm stretched upwards, and his relatives seemed to restrain him.
Regarding the allegations of confinement and assault by the complainant, “A” refuted: “He is the one who came to our table, and we were telling him to leave. In the process where the situation where we said “Please stand up” was repeated several times, as this person still did not leave, SEUNGRI told him firmly to leave, and it is true that he was holding a bottle of alcohol, but apart from that, there was absolutely no physical contact or anything else. He says that we confined him, but we did not confine him. The restaurant staff and the valets also know how the situation ended”.
Furthermore, regarding the complainant’s claim according to which SEUNGRI‘s group initiated the dispute first, he refuted: “Seeing at the next table that they kept looking at us and whispering, when they paid and went out, I went out to smoke a cigarette and asked “Did you happen to take photos?”, and as they said no, I said exactly “I entrust SEUNGRI to you”. I didn’t ask out of the blue why they were taking photos, and there was no dispute”.
In doing so, “A” declared: “According to common sense, if you have been assaulted, isn’t it correct to immediately call 112? He was saying “I will come with the business plan in a week”, then suddenly a complaint arrived. I got chills”. He also added: “After the arrival of the complaint, when I went to the restaurant, they said that this person had taken the CCTV images as early as the day after the incident. We did not know it at all and we learned it late”.
“A” also refuted: “The complainant also claims that I allegedly made threatening remarks against him as he was trying to leave the scene to flee, saying things like “Gangsters are involved and Joseon-jok are also involved, if you leave here like this, it’s going to end badly”, it’s absurd”, and added: “Since this incident, I feel disgusted by people. There are clearly unfair elements in this situation, and it is regrettable that it is reported in an overly exaggerated manner”.
SEUNGRI also strongly refuted to the media Ilgan Sports the complainant’s claim that he made remarks regarding gangsters, declaring that it was “unfounded”. He expressed his anger by saying: “The person who said they would bring a business plan a week later changed attitude the next day to announce a complaint, then filed a complaint even against my relatives with claims worthy of a novel”.
On that day, “Crime Chief” conveyed the position of the complainant who declared: “Three people were standing and blocking the passage to prevent me from leaving, and by brandishing it (the bottle of soju), they threatened me”, and “Among this, about once, I blocked it and caught it with my hand, and my hand was assaulted”. According to this, the complainant claimed: “SEUNGRI‘s group of three people surrounded me while I was seated inside and confined me, and SEUNGRI asked “Do you also think I am a loser?”, and said “I am also doing business with members of organized crime right now, I am also working with the Chinese side currently, and I could blow your head off and make a bloodbath right now. Killing you isn’t even a job”*”.
On this subject, SEUNGRI‘s camp denies the charges again, declaring: “The other party asked to join us saying they had a business project, and it is true that he was holding a bottle of soju during the refusal, but there was no physical contact”.
Meanwhile, the complainant explained via “Crime Chief”, regarding the fact that he sent a message with a different attitude only one day after his meeting with SEUNGRI, that “it was because he was afraid that he had acted”. Up to now, the interrogation of the complainant has not yet taken place.
Journalist: Shawn
Translator: Shawn
Source: Screenshot 사건반장 (Crime Chief), JTBC News
