Celebrities on photo line: walk of shame or equal treatment?

Suga of BTS not showing up for his first round of police questioning Thursday reignited debates over whether high-profile figures are unfairly targeted by being made to face the media on the photo line when they are under investigation.

The star of the mega-hit K-pop group faces accusations of driving an electric scooter under the influence earlier this month. Reports initially indicated that he would appear for questioning at Yongsan Police Station for the first time on Thursday, drawing dozens of reporters to the photo line early in the morning anticipating his arrival. However, his agency later refuted these reports, stating that he would not attend the police interrogation. The police declined to comment on the matter.

Though he did not appear, the controversy over South Korea's tradition of requiring well-known figures to stand in front of a "photo line" -- where suspects stand before the press and briefly answer questions before they enter police or prosecution for questioning -- further heightened.

The concept surfaced in 1994 after late Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung sustained a wound after being hit by a camera as he appeared for questioning at the prosecutors' office in 1993. In 2006, the Korea Press Photographers' Association introduced more specific guidelines, such as where the coverage should take place, to quell the overheated competition between media outlets to get better pictures and footage of suspects -- mostly well-known political, economic or entertainment figures.

Since then, high-profile individuals -- usually clad in formal attire -- faced cameras and questions from reporters before and after being summoned, with some labeling the tradition a "walk of shame" and suggesting that the practice unfairly targets and embarrasses personalities under investigation.

During these moments, those facing the press line also openly sought the public's apology for causing great disappointment and vowed to sincerely cooperate with the investigation.

Late "Parasite" actor Lee Sun-kyun, who was probed between October and December last year for allegedly using marijuana and other illegal drugs, stood in front of the photo line three times after officials rejected Lee's request to appear for questioning without media coverage.

Some have accused the law enforcement agency of contributing to the embarrassment and shame of such public exposure, suggesting that this may have driven Lee to take his own life. Others have countered this claim, arguing that celebrities should not receive preferential treatment and should be processed by the police just like any other suspects.

After Lee's death came accusations that authorities did not adhere to the rules on investigative publicity, which prohibits placing suspects in front of the photo line "without special reasons."

In another case, actor Yoo Ah-in, who has been on trial for habitual drug use, shed tears in front of the photo line last year as he went out of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency building.

"Some people may feel uncomfortable to see me, but I want to use this time as an opportunity to live a happier life than before," the actor whimpered as he faced the press.

Following the criticism, then-National Police chief Yoon Hee-keun said during a meeting with high-ranking officials late last year that he would review investigative practices and guidelines for the media when celebrities appear for questioning.

Experts noted that posing for the media allows celebrities to be punished by public opinion before their trial, calling for guidelines to treat them like other suspects.

"Making prominent people in society stand at the photo line is a problem about moral issues rather than the seriousness of their alleged crimes and could be regarded as violating human rights because not everyone found guilty does the same. Putting someone before the press because of their social status or job is unfair," Huh Chang-deog, a sociology professor at Yeungnam University, told The Korea Herald.

"Celebrities, for example, appear for questioning to be investigated for their wrongdoings and the charges they face. But the public bash them after they appear at the photo line even before their verdict comes out, believing that they are already someone who has committed a big crime," the professor said.

Lim Myung-ho, a psychology professor at Dankook University, said the photo line tradition increases embarrassment by 10 to 20 times.

"Standing before the photo line means garnering nationwide attention. The entire population can see the articles and footage online anytime, anywhere, and gossip. This piles pressure on famous figures not only for their wrongdoings but also for intense public scrutiny," he explained.