On May 27, aespa’s Karina unintentionally found herself at the center of a political controversy after posting a photo on social media. The image, taken on a street in Japan, showed her wearing a red and black jacket with the number “2” printed in red. Though the post was simply captioned with a rose emoji, it quickly gained attention online—especially given the timing ahead of South Korea’s 2025 presidential election.
The image began circulating on online communities under the title “Karina’s Recent Update.” Some netizens speculated that her outfit resembled support for a political candidate—specifically Kim Moon-soo, the People Power Party’s presidential candidate, who is associated with the color red and holds ballot number 2.
Given the heightened political sensitivity, especially in the days leading up to the June 2025 election, the photo prompted a wave of reactions. Although Karina quickly deleted the post, the controversy had already gone viral.
Some criticized her for being careless during the sensitive period leading up to the presidential election. Netizens commented, “She should be more cautious during such a sensitive time,” “The crown of fame is heavy,” “What was her intention?” and “I don’t believe she posted a photo wearing a red jacket with the number 2 during this period without any intent.”
On the other hand, there were also supportive reactions, such as, “Interpreting everything politically is exhausting,” “It’s obvious she had no intention,” “This is forced,” and “The fact that she deleted it quickly shows it was unintentional.”
This isn’t the first time South Korean celebrities have faced “political color” controversies. During election seasons, even the smallest gestures—like clothing color or hand signs—can be interpreted as endorsements. As a result, most celebrities wear neutral colors to voting booths and avoid potentially symbolic poses. Despite these precautions, controversies still arise each election cycle. Critics argue that this trend reflects a broader issue of excessive online censorship and over-interpretation of celebrities’ actions.
On May 28, Karina’s fans released a public statement, “A female celebrity should not be victimized by political framing and online hate. Her social media post has been arbitrarily interpreted as political, sparking unnecessary controversy.”
As the debate continues, Karina has not personally responded, and SM Entertainment has yet to issue an official statement.