aespa’s Karina Sparks Political Controversy with Instagram Post; SM Entertainment Issues Apology

Karina from aespa faced backlash after her Instagram post was seen as political support. SM Entertainment apologized, saying it was a misunderstanding.

Karina, a member of the K-pop group aespa, recently posted a photo on Instagram that caused a major controversy. She wore a black and red jacket with the number “2” on it, along with a rose emoji in the caption. Many people in South Korea thought this was a secret message supporting a political candidate.

The post was quickly deleted, but the backlash was already spreading online. Fans and critics debated whether Karina meant to show political support or if it was just a coincidence. Her agency, SM Entertainment, released a statement to clarify the situation.

“Karina simply shared something from her daily life on social media, with absolutely no other intention or purpose. Once she realized that the post could be misunderstood, she immediately deleted it. We sincerely apologize for any distress this may have caused unintentionally.”

SM Entertainment

South Korea is currently in an election season, and public figures are expected to avoid anything that could be seen as political. Wearing certain colors or using numbers linked to political parties can cause big problems. Red is the color of the conservative People Power Party, and the number “2” is linked to their presidential candidate, Kim Moon-soo.

The controversy grew when a politician from the People Power Party shared Karina’s photo on social media with a strong message.

“Touch Karina and you’re all dead. The hypocrisy of those spinning this doesn’t deserve attention. Let’s overcome the severe secondary victimization and harassment.”

This made the situation worse, as it seemed like the political party was using Karina’s post for their campaign. Fans of aespa were divided—some defended Karina, saying it was just a fashion choice, while others criticized her for being careless.

Online forums exploded with discussions, with one post getting over 45,000 views in less than an hour. Many comments accused Karina of breaking an unspoken rule for K-pop idols during elections.

“Wow, that outfit seriously looks like it’s for a political campaign… It feels so intentional. Being ignorant is a crime at this point.”

“Posting that without thinking at all… Admin, you better address this quickly.”

“There was even a rose emoji. Isn’t that basically confirmation?”

This is not the first time a K-pop idol has faced trouble over political symbols. During election seasons, idols are told to avoid wearing party colors or making hand signs that could be linked to candidates. Even not voting can lead to criticism, as fans expect idols to participate but stay neutral.

Earlier this week, Kim Tae-rae from the boy group ZeroBaseOne posted a photo with a “V” sign and a blue phone. He later explained he added the blue phone to “even it out” and avoid political misunderstandings.

Karina later apologized directly to fans through the fan communication platform Bubble.

“My (aespa fan club name), I’m really sorry for making you worry. I had no such intention at all, but as the misunderstanding continues to grow and you are worried a lot, I thought it would be necessary to talk directly. From now on, I will pay more attention and act more cautiously. I apologize once again for causing worry.”

KARINA

The incident shows how sensitive political topics are in South Korea, especially for celebrities. Even small things like colors, numbers, or emojis can lead to big controversies. SM Entertainment said they will be more careful in the future to prevent similar issues.

Early voting for South Korea’s presidential election starts soon, and many idols are expected to vote. They will likely wear neutral colors and avoid any gestures that could be misunderstood.

Credits: SBS Star, Asian Junkie, Korea JoongAng Daily

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