WINNER member Song Mino has received a suspended prison sentence in his first trial over 102 unauthorized absences while serving as a social service worker, once again drawing attention to the series of legal controversies that have surrounded artists and executives associated with YG Entertainment over the years.
On October 1, Judge Sung Joon Kyu of the Seoul Western District Court sentenced Song Mino to one year in prison, suspended for two years, after finding him guilty of violating the Military Service Act. The official responsible for supervising his service, identified as “A,” was sentenced to 10 months in prison, suspended for two years.
Song Mino was accused of leaving his assigned workplace without authorization for 102 days while serving as a social service worker from March 2023 to December 2024. The court emphasized that military service is a fundamental national obligation and that social service workers are no exception. However, it considered mitigating factors including Song’s admission of the charges, his remorse, and the apparent impact of his health condition on his service.
Against this backdrop, YG Entertainment’s name has once again come under scrutiny. One of South Korea’s major entertainment agencies, YG has previously faced significant controversy surrounding criminal cases involving several former artists and executives, some of which ultimately resulted in convictions.
One of the most prominent cases involved former BIGBANG member Seungri, who became a central figure in the Burning Sun scandal. He stood trial on nine charges, including prostitution mediation, purchasing prostitution services, habitual gambling, and embezzlement. In 2022, South Korea’s Supreme Court upheld his 18-month prison sentence after finding him guilty on all nine charges.
There was also the case involving former iKON member B.I, who was indicted over allegations involving the purchase and use of marijuana and LSD. He was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for four years. After the controversy became public, B.I left iKON and his exclusive contract with YG was terminated.
The controversy did not end there. Yang Hyun Suk, who was leading YG at the time, was later prosecuted over allegations that he pressured an informant to change their testimony regarding B.I’s drug case.
Yang was initially acquitted of retaliatory-threat charges, but the appellate proceedings resulted in a conviction on a coercion-related charge that had been added as an alternative count. In 2025, the Supreme Court upheld a sentence of six months in prison, suspended for one year. A YG employee who was tried alongside him also received a suspended sentence.
Other YG-associated artists have also been involved in criminal cases and controversies. Former BIGBANG member T.O.P received a 10-month prison sentence suspended for two years in 2017 for marijuana use. At the time, he was serving as a conscripted police officer and was subsequently removed from his position, affecting the remainder of his military service.
G-Dragon was also investigated by prosecutors in 2011 over marijuana use in Japan. Prosecutors ultimately suspended his indictment, citing factors including that it was his first offense and the small amount involved. At the time, the controversy also affected YG Entertainment’s planned stock-market listing, which was delayed after financial regulators requested revisions to the company’s securities registration documents.
With controversies of this nature recurring over the years, critics have repeatedly questioned YG Entertainment’s artist-management system. Major entertainment agencies generate substantial economic benefits from managing their artists’ careers, and critics argue that this relationship also creates a responsibility to maintain appropriate oversight when problems arise.
The fact that even company leadership has previously faced criminal proceedings has further fueled such criticism. From the perspective presented in the original commentary, the handling of Song Mino’s case has renewed questions over how much YG’s approach has actually changed.
When allegations concerning Song’s service first surfaced, YG stated that his sick leave had been used for medical treatment and that other forms of leave had been taken in accordance with regulations. The controversy continued, however, as additional claims emerged from people who had worked alongside him. According to the account presented in the original report, Song initially maintained during police questioning that he had properly fulfilled his duties, but later largely acknowledged the allegations after investigators presented supporting evidence.
Even as the situation developed, both Song Mino and YG largely refrained from making additional public statements. The commentary criticized YG in particular for not revising its earlier explanation or issuing an apology after circumstances emerged that appeared inconsistent with its initial position.
YG has repeatedly pledged to improve its management system following past controversies. Yet critics argue that a familiar pattern has continued: the company remains largely silent as controversies unfold, while cases that proceed to court ultimately become framed primarily as matters of individual responsibility. For the writer of the original commentary, Song Mino’s case once again raises the question of what YG learned from its previous controversies—and what, if anything, has fundamentally changed.
Sources: Daum