AceShowbiz - BTS (Bangtan Boys) member Jungkook and three other K-pop stars have tested negative for Covid-19 after visiting a restaurant and a bar in an area of Seoul, South Korea hit by a new coronavirus outbreak.

Bosses at the group's management firm and record label Big Hit Entertainment shared news of the negative test after reports in the Asian nation alleged Jungkook, and three fellow stars went on a night out in the upmarket neighbourhood of Itaewon on 25 April.

He, NCT 127's Jaehyun, Seventeen's Mingyu and Cha Eunwoo from Astro all tested negative for the virus, each singer's management teams confirmed to South Korea's Soompi website.

"Jungkook visited a restaurant and bar in the neighbourhood of Itaewon with his acquaintances. He showed no symptoms of COVID-19 such as coughing or a fever following the visit," Big Hit's statement reads. "He voluntarily received a test for COVID-19 at a government-designated hospital and tested negative."

Unlike in some nations, South Korea's businesses, restaurants and bars remain open, but citizens have been told to practice social distancing and an intensive regime of testing and contact tracing of those who may have been exposed to the virus is in place. Visitors to Itaewon's bars who were there between 24 April and 6 May have been told to self-isolate after an individual who had been in the area tested positive for the disease on 6 May.

Big Hit said in their statement that Jungkook feels "deeply regretful" for, "not having faithfully contributed to the entire society's social distancing efforts."

Managers for the other stars also apologised on their artists' behalf.