Soyou denies claims of being drunk on US flight, reiterates racism complaint

Singer Soyou, who claimed to have been racially discriminated against by a U.S. airline, refutes online allegations raised by some netizens. Courtesy of Big Planet Made

Singer Soyou, 34, formerly of girl group Sistar, has denied online claims that she was drunk on a U.S. flight where she said she experienced racial discrimination, clarifying that the incident stemmed from a language misunderstanding rather than alcohol consumption.

In a social media post on Monday, Soyou said she only had “a small amount of alcohol served with a meal” at the airport lounge before boarding. “I was not intoxicated, and I boarded without any issue or restriction,” she wrote, refuting allegations that she had caused a disturbance while under the influence.

The singer explained that after boarding, she tried to ask a flight attendant about meal times but struggled due to her limited English proficiency.

“I asked if a Korean-speaking crew member could help me,” she said. “Then, the cabin manager and a security officer came over. Once it was confirmed that there was no problem, I was allowed to continue the flight as planned.”

Soyou said tensions rose later when she stood up to use the restroom. “A flight attendant asked me to step aside so a cart could pass, and I did,” she said. “But the cabin manager suddenly ordered me to ‘get out of here’ in a harsh tone. I never received an apology.”

She added that the cold treatment she experienced throughout the 15-hour flight left her “confused and disheartened.”

“I didn’t post my story for compensation or attention,” she said. “I just wanted to speak out so that no one else has to go through something like this. I hope false claims don’t distort what really happened.”

Soyou first revealed earlier this week that she had faced racial discrimination on a flight from Atlanta to Seoul after completing her U.S. schedule. She said she endured the long flight without a meal and was left deeply hurt by what she described as “racial prejudice.”

A passenger who claimed to have been on the same flight alleged online that Soyou had been intoxicated, but the post was later deleted after backlash.

The controversy also echoes a 2023 incident involving singer-actress Hyeri, who said she was unfairly downgraded from a first-class seat to economy by Delta Air Lines without a refund, sparking public criticism of the airline.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.