Singer Soyou denies intoxication, says she suffered ‘racial prejudice’ on US flight

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”.