Soyou Faces Backlash After Accusing Delta Air Lines of Racism — Witness Claims She Was Intoxicated, Post Deleted

Singer Soyou has come under controversy after claiming she was racially discriminated against while flying with Delta Air Lines in the United States, as an unverified witness account alleging she was intoxicated has surfaced.

On October 19, Soyou shared her experience, saying, “After finishing my schedule in New York, I boarded a flight from Atlanta to Korea. I was exhausted and simply asked for a Korean flight attendant to check the meal time, but the purser judged my attitude, treated me like a problematic passenger, and suddenly called security.”

She continued, “I even had to say, ‘If I’m the problem, I’ll get off the plane.’ I had to endure cold looks and attitudes throughout the entire flight. At that moment, I thought, ‘Is this racism?’”

Soyou added, “I couldn’t eat anything during the more than 15-hour flight, and that experience left a deep wound rooted in racial prejudice. I hope no one else has to be doubted or humiliated because of their race.” It was later revealed that the airline she referred to was Delta Air Lines.

However, following her claim of racial discrimination, an alleged eyewitness account surfaced, reversing public opinion. A netizen who claimed to have been on the same flight wrote, “Soyou was intoxicated and said she was too tired to eat. I even heard staff members telling her that she shouldn’t board a plane in such a condition. She shouldn’t call it ‘unfair’ or ‘racism’ in that situation.”

The witness added, “As a Korean and as a fan, I was really embarrassed. I even felt sorry for the flight attendants.”

Though the authenticity of the post has not been verified, it sparked significant controversy online. As the issue grew, the post was deleted. Soyou and her agency have not released any official statement regarding the incident.


Written by Heo Ji Hyeong
Translated by Lee So Yun