Seungri accused of assault, death threats at Gangnam bar; CCTV footage released — singer denies all charges

Seungri, a former member of K-pop group Big Bang, has been sued on charges of assaulting a stranger at a bar, with the complainant's detailed account and CCTV footage of the incident now made public. Seungri denies any assault took place, saying the other man provoked him first and that the two later reconciled.

On Wednesday, JTBC's "Sageon Banjang" aired the account of complainant A, who filed a police complaint against Seungri and two companions on charges of aggravated assault, aggravated intimidation and unlawful confinement, along with CCTV footage from the scene.

The incident occurred around 6 a.m. on Aug. 8 at a restaurant in Gangnam, Seoul.

According to A, he was sitting alone at a table when a man approached and demanded to know whether he had been taking photographs.

A said he denied taking any photos, and it was only when he looked toward the man's table that he realized Seungri was there.

Seungri's table was lined with liquor bottles, and everyone there appeared to be drunk, A said.

A said that while the two were still discussing the photo issue, Seungri suggested they resolve the misunderstanding over drinks and invited him to join the table.

The mood was pleasant at first, A said, but within less than 10 minutes Seungri began speaking to him informally and making threats.

"Seungri said, 'Do you think I'm a loser too?' and tried to hit me over the head with a soju bottle," A said. "He also hurled profanities and said, 'You son of a b----, I'll kill you.'" The word "loser" — the opposite of "Seungri," which means "victory" in Korean — has been used online to mock the singer since the Burning Sun scandal.

CCTV footage released by "Sageon Banjang" shows Seungri rising from his seat in apparent agitation, brandishing a soju bottle, kicking at A in a provocative manner, and continuing to make threatening gestures even as bystanders tried to restrain him.

A said he was struck on the hand while trying to block the soju bottle.

After the threats, A tried to leave, but Seungri's companions stopped him, saying, "Something worse will happen if you walk out. Don't run — stay and sort this out." Fearing retaliation, A said he had no choice but to stay.

Rather than defusing the situation, Seungri's group then allegedly threatened A collectively. His companions forced A into the inner part of the seating area, surrounded him on three sides and blocked his exit while making menacing remarks, A said.

A said Seungri told him directly: "I do business with organized crime and I'm working with people in China right now," "I can crack your skull open and make a bloodbath," and "Killing someone like you is nothing." Seungri's companions allegedly joined in, urging him not to get his own hands dirty and to have others do it instead.

A also alleged that physical violence occurred during the confrontation — that Seungri kicked him in the shin, jabbed a finger at him and struck him in the face with a hand holding a mobile phone.

A further claimed that Seungri told him not to file a complaint, saying, "All I have is money, so bring me a business idea and let's settle this with an investment."

Text messages exchanged between the two shortly after the incident do reference business-related matters.

A said the messages were an act to placate Seungri out of fear. "When I thought about it, accepting a business proposal after being threatened with death and physically assaulted didn't seem right, so after much deliberation I decided to file a complaint," he said.

Seungri has flatly denied all the allegations.

Seungri contends that A approached first, proposing a business venture and asking to join his table, and that voices were raised when he declined.

"I picked up the soju bottle because I was angry that he wouldn't leave even after I asked him to, but I did not swing it," Seungri said. "There was some aggressive behavior, but two companions stepped in and there was absolutely no physical contact or assault."

He added that the matter was so minor he saw no need to retain a lawyer. "I am deeply sorry and embarrassed that my name has come up in connection with something like this. However, there are aspects of this that I find unjust, so I ask that people wait and see how the investigation unfolds," he said.