The Korea Herald

지나쌤

T.O.P attends first hearing for marijuana charges, apologizes to mother

By Rumy Doo

Published : June 29, 2017 - 15:28

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Prosecutors are seeking a suspended sentence against a top boy band rapper charged with marijuana use.

On the first day of the trial Thursday, the prosecution said it is seeking a 10-month jail sentence suspended for two years for Big Bang rapper T.O.P, who has been charged with using marijuana on four occasions.

T.O.P entered the Seoul Central District Court at around 11:31 a.m. clad in a black suit and read a statement of apology in front of press.

T.O.P of Big Bang reads a statement in front of the press on Thursday ahead of his first trial held at the Seoul Central District Court. (Yonhap) T.O.P of Big Bang reads a statement in front of the press on Thursday ahead of his first trial held at the Seoul Central District Court. (Yonhap)


Asked if he still denies charges of using liquid marijuana on two of the four occasions, he answered, “I am in the middle of a trial right now, so it is difficult to answer.”

In the prepared statement, T.O.P said, ”I was foolish. In the past, I wanted to escape from myself in the dark due to depression and severe anxiety disorder. My disorderly state of mind led to impulsive wrongdoing and an irrevocable mistake, and I disappointed many people.”

He ended the statement by apologizing to his mother.

“You will find out everything after the trial,” he said when asked how he first came to use marijuana.

T.O.P was recently suspended from serving as a conscripted policeman per regulations that mandate suspension of duties for police conscripts who are indicted on criminal charges.

By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)