Seungri of BigBang: from K-pop idol to face of biggest scandal in South Korean entertainment
- Once known as ‘Korea’s Great Gatsby’, and a member of one of K-pop’s most influential acts, Seungri’s fall from grace has been a rapid one
- We detail how things went so terribly wrong for the 28-year-old star
K-pop star Seungri is the highest-profile star connected to the biggest scandal ever seen in the South Korean entertainment industry. The former member of boy band BigBang K-pop stands accused of providing prostitution services, embezzlement, and sharing secretly recorded sex videos.
The revelations, which began months ago and are still under investigation, have sent shockwaves through the industry. Although Seungri had a huge impact on K-pop as a member of one of its most influential acts, the irrevocable damage to his reputation led him to retire from show business last month.
In typical K-pop fashion, Seungri was a singer, dancer and actor, but he was much more than that. He also built a successful second career as a businessman. These interests collided in his 2018 Netflix series, YG Future Strategy Office – a K-pop spin on The Office in which he starred as the head of a department at his company, YG Entertainment.
The 28-year-old built an image as an opulent, well-connected showman, but also as the youngest member of BigBang and one with a mischievous streak. Seungri is known to be blunt and full of confidence and is polyglot, speaking Korean, English, Japanese and Mandarin.
His nickname, “Korea’s Great Gatsby”, was the inspiration for the title of his solo album, The Great Seungri. His other nicknames include V.I. and Panda – the latter popped up in his businesses. Born Lee Seung-hyun, he trained at YG Entertainment for a year before making his debut aged 15 in 2006. Hailing from Gwangju, his speciality was dancing, and he took the position as lead dancer in the group.
