Singer Soyou denies intoxication after US flight ‘racial prejudice’ row

South Korean singer Soyou, 34, formerly of girl group Sistar, has denied online claims that she was drunk on a US 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, rejecting 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 purser 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 purser 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”.