Photo of Former BIGBANG Member Seungri with DOLLA Goes Viral, Netizens Have Mixed Reactions

The Malaysian girl group DOLLA has faced significant backlash from netizens after a photo of them with former BIGBANG member Seungri went viral yesterday.

Photo via Kosmo!

DOLLA, known for their energetic performances and catchy songs, found themselves in hot water when the image surfaced. Seungri, once a prominent figure in the K-pop industry with BIGBANG, has a notorious past involving controversies related to prostitution, drugs, and money laundering in South Korea.

The photo, dated December 5th, 2023, elicited strong negative reactions. Many fans believe that DOLLA should have avoided taking a photo with someone who has a criminal record like Seungri. 

One netizen expressed their disappointment on the X app, “Very disappointed with DOLLA for being willing to associate with a criminal. Is Seungri so idolised? Is a group like this something to be proud of when they show support for that man?”

However, some netizens defended DOLLA, suggesting that the group might have been unaware of Seungri’s criminal history.

“Maybe they didn’t know about Seungri’s criminal case. Just think of it as DOLLA taking a photo with an artist, not engaging in any scandal or collaboration with Seungri,” commented another netizen.

Seungri has recently become a topic of discussion among local netizens, as he is rumored to have visited Malaysia to perform at a private event in the capital. This speculation arose after a video went viral showing him performing at a prominent individual’s birthday celebration.

Not many people know about Seungri punya kes sis. Even my husband pun i yang cerita dekat dia. So tak perlu lah kot nak up balik kes lama dolla bergambar dengan seugri ni sebab mungkin dorang pun tak aware pasal kesi dia.

— Pooh Bear (@Aziraaalah) May 21, 2024

And buat yang tanya, yes i WAS a fan of seungri masa dia dlm BB but not until kes dia naik around 2019/2020 masatu aku pun tak active dgr lagu kpop. And aku support dolla tapi bukan aku iDollas 😊

— mad 🌱 (@markhyckun) May 21, 2024

I'm not defending seungri in this case but then, are you around them to throw nonsense hate? Like dolla is part of malaysian artist. What if this is just for work? Walaupun mereka tau and nak elak, tapi benda dh jadi. No need to speak if end up it'll going to be fitnah.

— d y (@stvrrsh) May 21, 2024

In 2021, Seungri was sentenced to prison for his involvement in the Burning Sun scandal, which included activities related to prostitution and money laundering in South Korea. Initially sentenced to three years, his prison term was later reduced to 18 months, causing widespread dissatisfaction.

The incident has sparked a heated debate among fans and netizens, reflecting the complex interplay of celebrity, public perception, and accountability. What do you think? Should DOLLA be more careful about who they associate with, or is this reaction blown out of proportion?