Was BIGBANG’s Seungri Paid to Take the Blame for Burning Sun Scandal? Explosive Claims by T.O.P’s Alleged Ex-Girlfriend Spark Massive Debate

A podcast guest claiming to be the ex-girlfriend of BIGBANG’s T.O.P has made shocking allegations about the group’s involvement in the Burning Sun scandal. She says Seungri was paid to take the blame while other members were also involved. The claims have gone viral, reigniting discussions about one of K-pop’s biggest controversies.

The scandal began in 2018 when a man named Kim Sang Kyo reported being assaulted at the Burning Sun nightclub in Gangnam. He said he was attacked after trying to help a woman being harassed. Investigations later revealed a network of crimes, including s*xual assault, drug trafficking, and illegal filming. Seungri, a co-owner of the club, was charged with multiple offenses and sentenced to prison.

Wait is she saying that seung hyun told her that seungri was made to be the scapegoat since he’s the least popular member? … https://t.co/9pkfnLa4ec

— harbour (@lifeis_verse2) May 28, 2025

Now, a woman named Kira, who appeared on the podcast Above The Influence, claims Seungri was made a scapegoat. She says she dated T.O.P and heard from him that the group’s management chose Seungri because he was the “least popular” member.

“According to news outlets, like, he was the one that was responsible for all that so he went to jail,” Kira said. “And he was like, ‘Yeah, because he was the least popular one of the group, our management company collectively decided that he should take the fall, even though we were all kind of involved in it.’”

https://twitter.com/catuuing/status/1927567573497053573

She further alleged that Seungri was paid to accept responsibility. “And then they, like, paid him out to go to jail, like, ‘hey, since your career was like, that great anyways how about you take all the blame, go to jail for a few years, and when you come out, we’ll give you a good payout.’”

The Burning Sun scandal led to Seungri’s retirement from the entertainment industry. He was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021, later reduced to 18 months. Charges included arranging prostitution, illegal gambling, and embezzlement. Other celebrities, including Jung Joon-young and Choi Jong-hoon, were also jailed for sharing illegal videos in group chats.

Kira’s claims have sparked mixed reactions online. Some fans question her credibility, pointing out she provided no evidence. Others argue the scandal was already complex, and her statements add another layer.

“This story isn’t really adding up with what actual journalists and screenshots of the GC revealed,” one netizen commented. Another said, “I don’t think the other members would have been ‘protected.’ G-Dragon and T.O.P were literally torn apart on the news outlets.”

The BBC recently released a documentary called Burning Sun, investigating the scandal further. It highlights how journalists uncovered hidden crimes, including secret chat groups where videos of assault were shared. The documentary shows the personal toll on reporters who exposed the case.

Seungri has stayed out of the public eye since his release in 2023. BIGBANG’s other members have continued their careers, though the scandal left a lasting impact on the group’s reputation.

Credits: Above The Influence, BBC Eye

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