Stephen Colbert, the well-known American comedian and host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, recently stirred the online K-pop community with a joke about BTS’s Suga. This happened during his segment “What’s Going On Over There?”, where he humorously comments on international news. The segment, which focuses on unusual or surprising global stories, featured a report from South Korea that caught the attention of BTS fans.
The Incident
The news that Suga, a member of BTS, was fined for driving an electric scooter under the influence of alcohol became a topic of conversation. On September 30, 2024, the Seoul Court issued a fine of ₩15.0 million KRW (about $11,200 USD) for the violation. Suga was found to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.227% at the time, resulting in his driver’s license being revoked. Though the news had initially spread in South Korea, it quickly reached global audiences, including Colbert’s show.
During the episode, Stephen Colbert expressed surprise that South Korea even requires a license to drive a scooter. He made light of the situation, which elicited laughter from the studio audience. The joke, however, didn’t go unnoticed by ARMY, BTS’s loyal fanbase.
ARMY’s Reaction
Although no BTS member appeared on the show, a clip of Colbert’s remarks went viral on X (formerly known as Twitter), garnering hundreds of thousands of views. The reactions were mixed—while some fans found the joke amusing, others were quick to defend Suga, expressing frustration with the comedian’s handling of the situation.
no matter what, to the rest of the world, this will be nothing but absolutely ridiculous pic.twitter.com/3l0y0RH9PG
One of the more prominent points made by ARMY was that the U.S. seems to handle similar incidents differently, with some even suggesting that Suga’s punishment in South Korea was harsher than what would be expected in other countries. The comments ranged from supporting Colbert’s humor to calling out the unfair treatment of celebrities like Suga in South Korea.
This isn’t the first time Stephen Colbert has engaged with BTS or the ARMY community. In 2019, BTS appeared on The Late Show for a memorable Beatles-inspired performance of their hit song “Boy With Luv,” and their relationship with the show continued to grow.
They returned in 2021, performing “Butter” and participating in fun segments with the host. Their interactions have often been playful, with Colbert previously expressing admiration for the group.
Public Response
Fans have voiced mixed opinions about Colbert’s joke regarding Suga. Some view it as harmless humor typical of Colbert’s comedic style, while others feel it crosses a line. Comments on social media reflect this division:
“Stephen Colbert can’t joke about Suga like that. It’s a serious matter in Korea, not something to be laughed at,” one fan posted.
“It was funny, people need to relax. Colbert just made a joke about the scooter thing, not about Suga as a person,” another added.
i think it shows how ridiculous this is bc to the him this is just a crazy small incident like he can't see it being something so big you spend months talking about it
why is my timeline full of supports for hobi, jin, jk, v, and rm while none for yoongi?yes I love all 7 of them and I'm so happy for all the other six members too but shouldn't yoongi also get the same support and attention considering how big and serious his issue is?
Regardless of the reactions, it’s clear that the clip has generated considerable attention, both from K-pop fans and the general audience of The Late Show. As the clip continues to circulate, the conversation around cultural differences in handling such incidents remains a hot topic among fans and media alike.
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