Singer Soyou has claimed that she was a victim of racial discrimination by a foreign airline, but eyewitness accounts suggesting she was intoxicated during the flight have sparked a heated controversy over the truth.
On October 19, Soyou shared a post on her social media, writing, “After finishing my schedule in New York, I boarded a connecting flight from Atlanta to Korea. I was extremely exhausted and simply asked for a Korean flight attendant to check the meal schedule, but the purser judged my attitude and treated me like a problematic passenger, even calling security for no reason.”
She continued, “I even had to say, ‘If I’m the problem, I’ll get off.’ After that, I endured cold stares and treatment for the rest of the flight. In that moment, I thought, ‘Is this racism?’ I couldn’t eat anything during the 15-hour flight, and the experience left me deeply hurt by what felt like racial prejudice. I hope no one ever has to be suspected or humiliated because of their race.”
As Soyou’s post spread online, many users expressed outrage, calling it “clear racial discrimination.” However, a new eyewitness account from someone claiming to have been on the same flight has cast doubt on her story.
One netizen wrote, “I was on the same flight. Soyou was drunk and said she was too tired to eat. I even heard the staff telling her she shouldn’t board a plane while intoxicated. It was embarrassing as a Korean and a fan to see her act that way and then claim it was racial discrimination. I felt sorry for the crew.”
Another eyewitness said, “Since it was a night flight, I didn’t notice at first, but after boarding, things suddenly got noisy, and I realized it was Soyou. She said herself that she was drunk and asked for a Korean crew member because she couldn’t read the menu. There was no security involved.”
A separate netizen claimed to have contacted the airline directly, saying, “It looks like Soyou didn’t file a complaint and only posted about it on social media. I asked about that specific flight, and they said there was no report, request, or statement regarding such an incident. If she paid for the flight and suffered discrimination or didn’t get a meal, she should’ve officially filed a claim for an apology or compensation.”
That post has since been deleted, and the authenticity of the claims remains unverified.
Meanwhile, online debates continue to intensify. Public criticism has grown stronger due to Soyou’s previously self-proclaimed “heavy drinker” image — she once said her record was nine bottles of soju and even founded a liquor-related company.
As of now, Soyou and her representatives have not released any official statement.
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