Netizens are debating whether BTS' Jungkook broke California's smoking laws.

On September 7th, photos and videos of Jungkook in Los Angeles were shared online.

These images showed Jungkook taking a smoke break outside a Los Angeles restaurant. Some think he may have flown to LA for the MTV Video Music Awards.

Once the videos and pictures came out, people started arguing about whether Jungkook broke California's smoking rules.

Some say he smoked on the sidewalk, which is against the law. They also said the ashtray in the picture was old and not there anymore.

But others defended him, saying he didn't smoke in a no-smoking zone. They even shared pictures from May and August of this year showing the restaurant's ashtray.

Here are some comments from netizens:

"Being an adult man who smokes isn't a crime. Stop making a big deal out of small things and let JK's fans support him."

"If you watch the full video, you'll see he didn't throw his cigarette on the street. Plus, that area is allowed for smoking by the restaurant."

"Why are you arguing about this like JK set the USA on fire?"

"You used to complain about smokers bothering non-smokers on the streets, and now suddenly it's okay because it's your idol."

"He was smoking in a designated smoking area, not randomly on the street. LOL."

"This much fuss over someone smoking only happens in Korea."

"But he did drop some ashes on the street, LOL."

What are your thoughts?

Source[1]

NewJeans' Minji touched fans' hearts with a handwritten letter on her birthday — even while the group is currently unable to promote due to legal issues.

On May 7, Minji celebrated her birthday by sharing a heartfelt message on the group’s personal SNS account, which the members opened themselves to stay connected with fans.

Minji began her letter with honesty, writing, “I think I’m living a busier life than I expected. When I finally looked up, it was already May, and it was my birthday.”

She admitted that she had a lot she wanted to say, but her thoughts felt “messy.” Still, her message to fans was clear, “I just hope that I, our members, and Bunnies can all be happy. Happiness is the biggest goal in my life.”

Minji then opened up about her personal journey and struggles, saying, “I sometimes think that running toward my happiness by doing what I love might look foolish to others. But isn’t giving up your happiness now for the sake of a future that might not even come… too harsh on yourself?”

Despite everything, she ended on a hopeful note, “I really miss the times when we shared our feelings through the good music we made together. But I always look forward to what’s ahead."

She added, "We didn’t stop here, and we’re not going to stop! It might look like we’re standing still, but I believe we’re growing deeper.”

Her message comes during a difficult time for NewJeans. The group announced last year that they were cutting ties with ADOR, their original agency, after trust was broken. They later began working independently under the new name ‘NJZ’.

However, ADOR responded with legal action — claiming the exclusive contract with NewJeans was still valid and asking the court to stop the group from promoting or signing deals.

The court sided with ADOR and granted an injunction, forcing NewJeans to pause their activities. Their appeal was rejected, and they’ve now filed a second appeal.

Through it all, Minji’s message proves one thing — even when forced to stop, NewJeans' hearts are still moving forward.

Source: [1]