[With Status Updates] T.O.P Found Unconscious, Currently Being Treated for Overdose in ICU

Image courtesy of OSEN

 

It is currently being reported that BIGBANG member T.O.P is in critical condition.

This morning, T.O.P was reportedly found unconscious and was rushed to an emergency room in Seoul. At around 5pm, he was moved to the intensive care unit, and has apparently not regained consciousness yet.

A source close to T.O.P has told the media, “The examination results have not come out yet, but it is suspected that he may have overdosed. He was having a very hard time with all of the recent issues surrounding him, and it seems that the stress got to him.”

YG Entertainment has just made a brief statement on the issue saying, “T.O.P is currently in the ICU. He is under intensive care right now.”

YG also confirmed that T.O.P’s mother is with him at the hospital.

moonROK will continue to keep you updated on the situation as more details are made available.

 

[UPDATE 1]

YG Entertainment has just confirmed that T.O.P is indeed being treated for an overdose. A representative from the agency has just told the media, “T.O.P was taken to the emergency room for an overdose of medication. He was moved to the intensive care unit and is receiving treatment there with his mother at his side.”

 

[UPDATE 2]

As of 6:45pm KST, YG Entertainment has confirmed that T.O.P has not yet regained consciousness yet.

 

[UPDATE 3]

More information regarding T.O.P’s overdose has just been revealed by the Seoul police. According to the police, at 11:30am this morning, T.O.P was found unconscious at the Seoul Police Department’s 4th precinct and was rushed to the emergency room. The soldiers in T.O.P’s division saw him sleeping and tried to wake him up, but could not. A representative from the Seoul police also stated, “It appears that T.O.P took more than his prescribed dosage of his anti-anxiety medicine.”

The BIGBANG member has admitted to suffering extreme depression and anxiety disorder in the past, making it possible that he was prescribed any combination of anti-depressants, anti-anxiety, and possibly sleeping pills. T.O.P has in fact mentioned publicly that he has been prescribed nervous stabilizers meant to treaty anxiety, mental breakdowns, and insomnia. This combined with the police officer’s statement are leading many to speculate that T.O.P may have taken more than his normal dosage of his prescribed medication.

 

[UPDATE 4]

It appears that as of 7:35pm, T.O.P may have regained consciousness. Though YG has yet to make a statement, multiple media outlets in Korea are reporting that the BIGBANG member has woken up. YG is sure to make a statement any minute, so stick around for confirmation on T.O.P’s current status.

 

[UPDATE 5]

According to more articles posted at 7:45 pm KST, a source reportedly close to T.O.P has just responded to the reports that T.O.P has regained consciousness, and has stated that those reports are not true. The source told the media, “It is being said by some that T.O.P has regained consciousness, but he is still unconscious in the ICU.”

Again, YG Entertainment has not made an official statement regarding T.O.P’s state of consciousness since a little over an hour ago. We will continue to bring you updates as they are released by credible news outlets in Korea.

 

[UPDATE 6]

At approximately 8:25pm KST, an article was published quoting a representative from YG Entertainment who confirmed that T.O.P is still in the intensive care unit and stated that there are no updates regarding T.O.P’s state of consciousness. An official representative from YG just told the media, “We are not sure as to whether he has regained consciousness. We have not received any updates as to the progress of the situation yet. We are trying to understand the situation.”

[UPDATE 7]

According to multiple media outlets, as of 8:50pm KST sources close to T.O.P have confirmed that the BIGBANG member still has not regained consciousness. A representative for T.O.P told the media just now, “T.O.P is still unconscious.” The sources also confirmed that the earlier reports stating that T.O.P had regained consciousness were untrue.

Meanwhile, multiple press outlets are continually publishing up-to-the-minute pictures showing T.O.P’s birth name, Choi Seung Hyun, written on the board in the hospital waiting room showing that he is still occupying a room in the ICU. The picture below was published just five minutes ago, at 9:20pm KST.

[Photos of T.O.P's Emergency room deleted]

One news source went so far as to track down T.O.P’s aunt, who said that while she knew he was on medication for panic order and depression, she didn’t know what kind of medication it was. His aunt also stated that T.O.P’s mother spoke with him on the phone yesterday, and at the time he said he was doing fine.

The sources close to T.O.P were also quoted saying that it’s likely he’ll have to spend another day or two in the hospital. YG’s last statement was made about an hour ago at 8:25pm KST confirming that T.O.P is still unconscious. We will continue to keep you updated as official details are made available.

[UPDATE 8]

The Seoul Metropolitan Police have just made a statement regarding T.O.P’s current condition. According their statement, T.O.P’s current state is not as severe as the Korean media has made it seem. A representative from the Seoul Metropolitan Police has just stated, “Yesterday T.O.P was waiting at his platoon headquarters when he took his usual medication prescribed for anxiety and insomnia at 10pm. This morning at 7:30am, he was fast asleep and when we tried to wake him up for breakfast, his eyes opened for a second before falling back asleep, so we just thought he was really tired and let him continue sleeping.”

The police representative continues with the timeline, saying, “Around noon he started sweating profusely and couldn’t wake up, so we brought him to the local emergency room where he received blood, urine, and CT tests and there was nothing out of the ordinary. When we called his name or poked him, he showed some response, and when he was brought to the hospital, we did not carry him, we helped him walk.”

The representative then reassured the press, “T.O.P is not currently in a dangerous state, he’s just sleeping deeply due to the hypnotic component in his medicine. Once the medicine works its way out of his system in a day or two, he’ll be back to normal.”

Finally, the police representative stated, “According to the physician’s diagnosis, it seems that T.O.P overdosed his usual medication. We cannot know based on the examination results how much he took.”

The police force representative again emphasized to the media that T.O.P did not seek out the medication randomly, but that it is normally prescribed to him.

According to this police statement, T.O.P is not unconscious but rather in a very, very deep sleep. Based on this statement it seems like the BIGBANG member will be fine in a few days, but YG Entertainment has yet to make an official statement on this most recent update, so stay tuned for details.

[UPDATE 9]

At 10:10pm KST, YG Entertainment made the following brief statement: “T.O.P is still in the ICU. We are currently waiting for the test results and the doctor’s opinion from the hospital.”

[UPDATE 10]

T.O.P’s mother has just made a brief statement to the reporters gathered at the hospital, where T.O.P is still currently being held in the ICU. In talking with the reporters, T.O.P’s mother was visibly shaken and distressed when she said, “When T.O.P came to the hospital he was definitely unconscious. He still has not regained consciousness, it seems like those reports [saying otherwise] are misrepresentative.”

Following this statement, T.O.P’s mother and manager received no further questions, and returned to T.O.P’s ICU room.

[UPDATE 11]

Following T.O.P’s mother’s statement, it appears that the Seoul Metropolitan Police are backing off their previous statement saying that T.O.P was just “deeply sleeping.” In a new statement made this morning, a representative from the police told the media, “We are not in the situation where we can speak on T.O.P’s current condition.”

Meanwhile, YG Entertainment has yet to make an official statement since 10:10pm KST last night, when they confirmed that T.O.P was still in the ICU.

[UPDATE 12]

The hospital where T.O.P is currently being treated has just announced that they will be making an official statement at 4pm KST this afternoon. A representative from the Ewha University Hospital in Mokdong has just told the media gathered at the hospital, “The doctor plans to give an official briefing on patient T.O.P’s condition at 4pm this afternoon.”

There is currently much confusion as to T.O.P’s current condition, as the Seoul Metropolitan Police, who originally found T.O.P unconscious, made a statement contradictory to T.O.P’s family and YG Entertainment. we will provide moonROK's full transcription and coverage of the 4pm statement from T.O.P’s doctor later this afternoon, so stay tuned.

[UPDATE 13]

At 4pm KST, Ehwa University Hospital in Mokdong hosted a press conference to brief the public on T.O.P’s current condition. A group of doctors attending to T.O.P briefed the press and then received questions on T.O.P’s condition, saying, “T.O.P arrived [at the hospital] on June 6, 2017 at 12:34pm. Three people arrived together with him, one holding his upper body, and two his lower body.” This statement confirms that contrary to the police statement earlier, T.O.P was indeed carried in, rather than walking in with support of his troop.

The doctors continued, “When we attempted to wake him up with normal stimuli, he had no reaction. It was only when we more forcefully tried to stimulate him that he reacted in a state between lethargy and stupor. His pupils did not constrict in response to light stimulation. His vital tests showed elevated blood pressure, quick pulse, and unstable breathing. He showed signs hypoxia and high levels of carbon dioxide, signs of respiratory failure. At this point he was determined to be in critical condition. We determined it to be an emergency situation.”

The doctors then continued, “After testing his urine, it was determined that he was suffering respiratory failure due to an overdose of sleeping pills. Based on his condition, it seemed likely that he could stop breathing and was thus preemptively moved to the intensive care unit to receive tracheal intubation. His carbon dioxide levels have stabilized, but he is still in critical condition. It was decided that the neurology and psychiatric departments should work in conjunction on the patient, and after examining the patient at 11am and again at 3pm today [T.O.P’s unconscious state] prevented them from providing the normal care. If the patient’s condition improves, he will receive psychiatric treatment.”

Furthermore, according to the brief, T.O.P was given 11 different variations of drug tests. His results came back negative for all of them except for Benzodiazepine, a common psychoactive drug used in sleeping pills and anti-anxiety medication.

Finally, the doctors concluded their briefing by saying, “Because T.O.P has still not regained consciousness, he needs to remain in the intensive care unit.” The doctor also stated that in cases like these, it can take the patient up to a week to fully recover.

After the briefing, reporters were given time to ask questions. Due to the conflicting reports from the Seoul Metropolitan Police and T.O.P’s family and representation, the reporters on the scene asked multiple times why the term “unconsciousness” was used if T.O.P was simply in a deep sleep. The doctors emphasized multiple times that T.O.P’s current condition is indeed critical, and much more serious than simply a “deep sleep.” On this matter one of the doctors attending to T.O.P stated, “When people think of unconsciousness, they tend to associate it with brain damage. However, medically speaking, when a patient does not respond to normal stimuli, it is referred to as unconsciousness.” The doctor continued, “When T.O.P arrived to the hospital, he only showed response when poked with a needle or was pinched very hard. Right now, when we wake him up he can open his eyes briefly, but he cannot maintain a conscious state.”

As of now, this is the most detailed official update the media has received on T.O.P’s condition. It appears he will remain in the ICU until his condition improves. 

[UPDATE 14]

YG Entertainment has just issued an official apology on behalf of TOP. Below is the transcription of that apology:

To all of those who were disappointed and hurt by this series of disgraceful events surrounding TOP, we deeply apologize.

As was stated in the official hospital briefing yesterday, TOP – who fell unconscious on June 6 at the dorms of the Seoul Metropolitan Police 4th precinct and was brought to the Ehwa Mokdong University Hospital emergency room in Seoul and then moved to the intensive care unit – is  currently receiving his third day of treatment.

We hope that TOP will regain his health as quickly as possible.

We at YG feel strongly that we should take responsibility for this. For not being able to meet your expectations, with a heavy heart we accept the blame. From now on, we will try our hardest so that nothing like this ever happens again.

We apologize once again for causing so many people distress.

 

[UPDATE 15]

On the afternoon of June 9th, a representative from the Ewha University Hospital in Mokdong has announced to the press that TOP is preparing to leave the ICU, and that he will be moved to another hospital. The representative told the press, “TOP has been preparing for his ICU discharge since this morning.”

The hospital representative continued, “After consulting with his family, they’ve decided to move to another hospital. He will be moving to another hospital, but we cannot reveal where the new hospital is.”

The statement continued, “The Ewha University Hospital in Mokdong does not have any private rooms, and because TOP’s guardians would prefer a private room, he’s moving hospital. As per the request of the guardians, we will not be revealing which hospital it is.”

Meanwhile, the police have made a simultaneous statement confirming that TOP’s discharge from the army police division has been processed, and that following his discharge from the hospital he will be going home.

 

[UPDATE 16]

TOP has just been released from the hospital at approximately 3pm KST on June 9th. The only statement he made as he passed through the crowd of reporters is “I’m sorry.”

Source: OSEN, TV Report, Kookmin Ilbo, Joongang Ilbo, Herald Pop, News1, 10asia, Star News, Ilgan Sports, Herald Pop, Ilgan Sports, Star News, eDaily, MyDaily, eDaily, Herald Economy, Sports Seoul, Star News, News 1, Seoul News, Star News, Star News, Sports Seoul, Ilgan Sports, Ilgan Sports, OSEN, Sports Seoul, Ilgan Sports, Daily Economy, Star News, Xports News
Source: Moonrok