iKON’s B.I says he is 'leaving' the band over allegations that he may have purchased and used illegal drugs
South Korean boy band iKON is under scrutiny as its band member B.I hinted at his departure from the group after being accused of purchasing illegal drugs.
A screenshot obtained by Korea's local media outlet Dispatch revealed that B.I tried to buy a psychedelic drug in 2016 through a messaging app in order to "become a genius."
The conversation between the singer and a convicted drug offender who remains anonymous, showed B.I asking questions about the price and how strong LSD is to use in order to become a "genius."
Korean Herald reports that the singer appears to ask, "Should I get three? I can’t splash out, though. Can you get a discount?" The drug offender apparently warns that one drug can lead to another but B.I shrugs off the warning.
If the allegations are proven to be true then B.I could be sentenced to up to four years in prison, reports the same publication.
Following the news, B.I took to Instagram to announce his departure from the boy band.
A loose translation of the post reads: "It is Kim Han Bin. First of all, I apologize for the inconvenience caused by my inappropriate actions. It is true that I wanted to rely on things that I should never be interested in while I was in distress and hardship briefly in the past. But I did not because I was afraid and scared. However, I am also ashamed and apologize to you and the members who are greatly disappointed and hurt because of my wrong actions. I want to leave my team and humbly reflect on my mistakes. I apologize once again for your heartfelt sympathy to your fans and members. Sorry."
When the anonymous offender was questioned by the police, he admitted to delivering acid blotter papers to the singer’s place, Dispatch said, citing the Yongin Dongbu Police Station. However, the source refused to disclose more information to the police after being contacted by YG Entertainment, which provided him with a lawyer, according to the report.
Shortly after B.I announced his departure from iKON, YGE announced, "We apologize that the problem regarding label artist Kim Han Bin (B.I) has caused disappointment. Kim Han Bin is feeling heavy responsibility for the impact of this recent issue, and he has decided to accept his withdrawal from the team and contract termination. YG is becoming aware of the responsibility we have to manage our artists. We apologize sincerely once again."
This is not the first time a YG artist has been linked with illegal drugs. Rapper T.O.P was given a 10-month prison sentence in 2017, suspended for two years, for using marijuana on multiple occasions.