On March 19, MBC’s “Newsdesk” reported on the number of sick leave days that BIGBANG member T.O.P has taken.

T.O.P is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service as a public service worker at Yongsan District office. He works from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, with Sundays and Mondays off.

“Newsdesk” stated that they had looked at the calendar of T.O.P’s work days and found that there were many more days taken as sick leave than his peers, and that they were mostly scheduled before or after other days off.

After the Chuseok holiday last September, when his vacation days alternated with work days, T.O.P took sick leave on the work days. Therefore September 23 was a usual day off, 24 to 26 was the Chuseok holiday, 27 was a sick leave day, 28 was a vacation day to make up for his missed usual day off on Monday, 29 was a sick leave day, and September 30 to October 1 were his usual days off. There were therefore nine days off in a row.

In addition, he took a day off before Memorial Day (June 6) as sick leave, reaching four days off in a row including his two usual days off on Sunday and Monday.

For both periods, “Newsdesk” reports that there were no medical reports submitted to explain the reason for his sick leave.

Other sick leave days were also mostly placed on Saturday or Tuesday (before or after his usual days off). Out of 19 days of sick leave, 15 of them were taken next to a usual day off. T.O.P is quoted by “Newsdesk” as saying, “It was because I had a panic disorder then, and I’m a bit ill.”

“Newsdesk” looked at the schedule of 226 other public service workers at Yongsan District office. They said that (excluding unavoidable cases such as those diagnosed with illnesses or in accidents) T.O.P had taken three times as many sick leave days as the average, and four times as many days that were next to vacation days.

The outlet checked with a dentist that T.O.P had received treatment from on a sick leave day to see if the time off had been unavoidable. The dentist was found to be open in the evenings until 9 p.m. on Thursdays for treatment.

“Newsdesk” reported that Yongsan District office has said that T.O.P is not receiving special treatment for being a celebrity.

YG Entertainment said in a call with the news outlet Hankook Ilbo, “T.O.P is currently doing alternative service, so there is no statement we can give from our agency. You’ll need to ask Yongsan District office.”

Source (1) (2)

Seungri has spoken up about his recent controversies through a phone interview with Sisa Journal.

On March 19, media outlet Sisa Journal released an exclusive report of Seungri’s interview where he denied allegations of providing prostitution services and traveling overseas to gamble. The media outlet was able to interview Seungri through his lawyer Son Byung Ho.

During the interview, Seungri stated, “Didn’t all of these events begin with the conversations from the KakaoTalk [chatrooms]? Just as we wrote ‘police chief,’ we were just fools, just friends who were bluffing and showing off without knowing anything.” On March 13, a certain individual in the chatroom mentioned a “police chief,” saying he “has my back.” However, because the phrase used for “police chief” contained a typo, many suspected that the word actually referred to the “Commissioner General of the police” or the “Public Prosecutor General” as all three phrases are very similar in Korean. It was later revealed that the “police chief” in question was a senior superintendent officer.

Seungri continued, “These things have caused a public opinion [that I’m involved in] tax evasion and police collusion. Honestly, I’m in a situation where even if I tell the truth, no one will believe it. Even the investigators believe that the contents of the KakaoTalk [chatrooms] are all true and considered evidence. [Sigh] I’m afraid I won’t be judged fairly to be right or wrong due to the fact that I’m famous and a celebrity. Because I feel sorry to the people of Korea, aren’t I in a position where I can’t complain of the injustice or make rebuttals? Finally, to add one more thing, there was no overseas gambling, nor were there prostitution services.”

Sisa Journal had previously revealed messages that showed Seungri and his business partner from 2014 known as “A” engaging in habitual gambling abroad. In response to this report, Seungri stated, “When I said that I earned money during that time, or when I sent pictures of money, I was just bluffing and lying. I wanted to show off, so I said things that weren’t even true. ‘A’ didn’t even see me gamble, nor was he there with me. You can find this if you confirm it with the hotel.” Seungri also referred to the business partner as a “scammer.”

The same day, Sisa Journal met with Seungri’s lawyer Son Byung Ho. The lawyer explained “A” and Seungri’s conversation from 2014 alluding to prostitution. The two had discussed which woman they should bring to their trip to Indonesia, and Seungri also presented photos and information about the ages, jobs, and personalities of various women, asking his business partner to choose a woman.

Lawyer Son Byung Ho explained that “A” had requested Seungri to introduce him to a woman who could accompany him to Indonesia as if she were his wife or girlfriend. He added that “A” had eventually gone to Indonesia with Seungri without any women accompanying them.

Sisa Journal then added that Seungri had sent a message that said, “I was in the wrong. I shouldn’t have gotten involved with those guys and done those things.”

Source (1) (2)

Top Photo Credit: Xportsnews

The Military Manpower Administration has begun reviewing Seungri’s request to postpone his enlistment.

Seungri submitted the official request to the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration on the afternoon of March 18. However, the power of attorney and letter of approval were incomplete, and the Military Manpower Administration requested that he turn in the missing documents. Seungri prepared the necessary documents once again and resubmitted the request to the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration by fax at night.

A source from the Military Manpower Administration stated on March 19, “The documents came in this morning and became formally ready [to be reviewed]. We began reviewing it today. The results will be out tomorrow, and when the results come out, we will inform Seungri. We cannot presuppose the results yet. We will carefully look over the request in a lawful manner.”

According to Seungri’s lawyer Son Byung Ho, Seungri requested to delay his enlistment on the basis that he is “a person who has an impediment to fulfilling his military duty due to other extenuating circumstances” as written in Article 129 (Postponement of Date of Enlistment, etc.) of the Enforcement Decree of the Military Service Act.

In this case, one can request to postpone one’s enlistment for a maximum of three months. According to the Military Manpower Administration, one is normally expected to write the number of days they are requesting to delay, but even if the section is not filled in, one’s enlistment can normally be delayed for three months. However, if Seungri has to delay his enlistment again for the same reason, he can only do so one more time, and the documents have to be submitted to the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration again.

In the case that the Military Manpower Administration does not approve his request, Seungri would have to enlist on March 25 as planned. His case would be transferred to the military police, and the investigation would be handled jointly with the police.

News outlet Newsis states that as of now, it appears likely that Seungri will be able to postpone his enlistment.

In a statement the Military Manpower Administration released on March 15, they revealed that there had been a case of the governmental body granting a request to postpone someone’s enlistment due to investigations.

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Provincial Special Detective Division also sent an official document to the Seoul Regional Military Manpower Administration asking to delay Seungri’s enlistment.

Meanwhile, on March 18, the Military Manpower Administration announced their plans to make an amendment to the law to prevent people from enlisting as a way of escaping from reality.

Source (1)