B.I Apologizes For His Drug Controversy At Press Conference Of New Comeback

Former iKON member B.I, who was embroiled in a drug scandal, has apologized!

On the afternoon of the 1^st of June, a showcase was held at Shinhan Play Square in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to commemorate the release of B.I’s second full-length album, ‘To Die For.’ B.I’s comeback comes after a 7-month hiatus since the release of his global EP, ‘Love or Loved Part 1,’ in November last year, but it is the first official event in over 4 years since the drug incident.

B.I choked up as he said, “I am sorry for disappointing many people and causing social controversy due to my past wrong judgments and choices. I felt like I had never properly conveyed my feelings, so I wanted to create an opportunity to express my sincere thoughts. I want to talk about my past mistakes and show the hard work I have put into creating this album and how I have changed.”

He continued, “I am sorry for the uncomfortable gazes as well. I have never felt at ease or light-hearted myself. Whenever I became arrogant, reality made me face the situation. I blamed myself and reflected on my actions. I don’t think I will change my thoughts in the future, and I believe I will not be welcomed for a long time. It’s my homework. At that time, I was too young and had a short-sighted mindset. When I think about the pain I caused to many people, it feels like my heart is being torn apart. I will continue to reflect and blame myself and live with gratitude and apologies to others.”

B.I was sentenced to 3 years of probation with 4 years of imprisonment suspended for purchasing marijuana and LSD in 2019 and using some of it. The drug scandal caused him to leave iKON and terminate his exclusive contract with YG Entertainment. Even then, he denied the drug allegations, stating, “It is true that I had some misguided thoughts, but I was too scared to even touch them.” However, during the police investigation, he changed his statement and admitted to all the charges.

During the ongoing trial in 2020, he was appointed as an executive director of IOK Company, and in 2021, he released a charity album called ‘Comfort on a Deep Night,’ engaging in active activities despite receiving unfavorable attention.

Regarding the public revelation of a message saying, “I wanted to become a genius, so I did drugs,” he said, “Since then, my musical thoughts have changed a lot. I am focusing on my efforts. I lost a lot due to wrong judgments and choices at a young age. I promised myself that such a thing would never happen again. I have had a lot of time to reflect on myself.”

On this day, B.I released “To Die For” at 6 p.m. and officially began his activities.

B.I stated, “I will do my best in every possible way. I want to connect more with the general public. The choices are up to the public, and I will move forward and act accordingly. Although I haven’t found the exact reason why fans like me, I will strive to repay their love in a way that suits them.”

Source: (A)