Fans Defend aespa After On-Stage Laughter Sparks Backlash; Karina’s Jacket Adds to Controversy [WATCH]

Aespa faced mixed reactions after a lighthearted moment during their award acceptance speech went viral. The group won three trophies at the 2025 Asia Star Entertainer Awards on May 28. While fans called the moment genuine, others criticized it as unprofessional.

The controversy grew when Karina’s recent Instagram post—featuring a red jacket with the number “2”—was linked to South Korea’s election season. Netizens accused her of supporting a conservative political party. The post was deleted, but debates continued online.

On-Stage Moment Turns Into Debate

During their acceptance speech, Karina accidentally called the group “aespo” instead of “aespa.” The members burst into laughter, with Winter unable to speak and passing the mic to Ningning, who quickly ended the speech with a simple “Thank you.”

this is the full context btw: she accidentally said ‘aespo’ instead of ‘aespa’, laughed because of it, and that’s literally it. but of course y’all cut everything out and act like it’s a scandal. get a life https://t.co/KEcJs01Uld pic.twitter.com/Mx5JGKAYqo

— 젬 (@gemminji) May 28, 2025

Some fans loved the moment, calling it natural and funny. Others said it showed a lack of respect for the award. Online comments were divided.

“This is the full context btw: she accidentally said ‘aespo’ instead of ‘aespa’, laughed because of it, and that’s literally it. but of course y’all cut everything out and act like it’s a scandal. get a life”

“Full video! You cut video, make it like æ laughing about unrelated thing. They laughed cause Karina said ‘aespo’ instead of ‘aespa’ during speech. She got shy, apologized, did nothing wrong.”

Critics argued the group should have been more serious.

“At least pretend to be grateful. What’s the point of breaking it up into pieces? Some people really need this award.”

Karina’s Red Jacket Sparks Political Debate

The award show incident happened while Karina was already facing backlash. On May 27, she posted an Instagram photo wearing a red and black jacket with the number “2.” In South Korea, red and the number 2 are linked to the conservative People Power Party during elections.

The post was deleted, but netizens called her “conservative Karina” and “No. 2 voter Karina.” Some accused her of breaking the “no color, no gesture” rule for idols during elections.

SM Entertainment issued a statement:

“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.”

Karina also apologized on Bubble, a fan platform:

“I’m sorry for causing concern. I had no such intention, but as the misunderstanding grew and MYs (fans) became worried, I thought I should address it directly.”

Fans and Netizens React Strongly

Supporters defended Karina, saying the backlash was exaggerated.

“This had literally nothing to do with politics. Y’all really hate women.”

“Mmm this Karina thing keeps getting pushed. Seems odd that her red jacket is talked about more than actual scandals.”

Critics, however, were not convinced.

“Supporting the same party that tried to stage a coup and is known for being against women’s rights is actually crazy.”

“Yeah, I’m unstanning until she confirms otherwise.”

Political Sensitivity in K-Pop

South Korean celebrities often avoid political symbols during elections. Wearing party colors or making hand signs can be seen as endorsements. Even innocent actions, like a peace sign, can spark debates.

In 2018, Yoo Jae Suk faced backlash for wearing a blue cap during elections. In 2020, trot singer Song Ga In apologized for wearing blue in a voting campaign video.

ZeroBaseOne’s Kim Tae-rae joked about election rules in a fan post:

“I was told that I shouldn’t pose a ‘V’ because of the [election] season. I’ll even it out with the color of my phone.”

Despite the controversies, aespa’s fans continue to support them. The group’s awards and music remain their focus. Karina’s jacket debate highlights how small actions can become major issues in K-pop.

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