K-Pop Star Soobin Of TXT Was Overcharged By A Taxi Driver In The Philippines, Sparking An Investigation
When they arrived at their hotel, the driver tried again to charge Soobin 1,000 pesos but they firmly insisted on paying 500 pesos as agreed.
K-pop star Soobin, the leader of the group Tomorrow X Together, TXT, was overcharged by a taxi driver in Cebu, the Philippines, and caught the incident on camera while filming a vlog.
Soobin and a friend were quoted 500 pesos for a short ride from Mactan‑Cebu International Airport to their hotel, even though a ride‑hailing app showed only about 300 pesos (about US$5).
Soobin had even been asked fellow TXT member Taehyun, who had previously visited Cebu, for advice, and Taehyun warned him about drivers who overcharge tourists and advised him to "just act angry" if it happened.
Soobin and his friend agreed on a 500-peso (about US$8) fare before getting in, already higher than expected, but after they got in, the driver tried to charge them 1,000 pesos (about US$17 according to Cebu Daily News.
The driver's explanation in the vlog was that gas is very expensive.
“You heard that, right? I’m reporting this. Just now he said 1,000 pesos. Don’t edit this part out, okay? 500 pesos is already pushing it, and then he raises it to 1,000 pesos,” Soobin said.
When they arrived at their hotel, the driver tried again to charge Soobin 1,000 pesos but they firmly insisted on paying 500 pesos as agreed.
The vlog was posted on April 1 and quickly spread online.
A local TXT fan group, MOA Cebu, filed a formal complaint with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), the Philippine government agency that regulates taxis and other public transport, according to GMA News Online.
The LTFRB identified the taxi and issued it a 30-day suspension, effective immediately.
The operator was ordered to surrender the vehicle's license plate and the driver's license, Manila Bulletin reported.
LTFRB’s chairman said criminal charges would be filed against both the driver and the operator for violating the Public Service Act.
"This is a serious offense especially that this incident puts the name of our country in bad light in the international community," he said, according to Daily Tribune.
A formal hearing is scheduled for April 21.
This is not the first time a K-pop star has been overcharged by a taxi driver in the Philippines.
In 2022, Joshua Hong of the group SEVENTEEN shared that a Manila taxi driver charged him roughly three times the correct fare.
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Flavie Chen
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