The clarification of Karina on the red jacket sparked discussion as she explained the post had no political intention. She apologized for the confusion and said she wanted to comfort fans who were worried. The situation revealed deep political division in online reactions across South Korea.
Clarification of Karina during YouTube interview
On July 6, Karina of aespa appeared on the YouTube channel Fairy Jaehyung. The episode was titled “Finally Here. Youngest Guest Karina..!” During the conversation, Jaehyung asked Karina about her dreams. She answered, “One of them is to live without trouble.” Jaehyung replied that many guests had given similar answers recently. Karina then said, “I had an issue not long ago. That’s why I hope everyone around me can live peacefully too.”
She referred to the controversy that had surrounded her earlier. Rather than avoid the subject, she chose to speak about it openly. Her tone was calm and reflective.
Red jacket photo triggered unexpected speculation
The issue began on February 28, just before the 21st presidential election in South Korea. Karina posted a few casual photos on her personal social media account. In one of the pictures, she wore a red jacket with a large number “2” printed on it.
Some online users claimed the red jacket symbolized support for the conservative People Power Party. They argued that the number “2” aligned with that party’s ballot number and called it “Rose Election” symbolism. The photo quickly spread and became a political talking point online.
Clarification of Karina shared through fan platform
As the speculation intensified, Karina posted a message on the fan communication platform Bubble. She explained, “I had no such intention. But the misunderstanding kept growing. MYs looked so worried, so I thought I should explain myself.” She apologized for the confusion and emphasized that her choice of outfit had no deeper meaning.
She also mentioned in the YouTube interview that she had been abroad at the time. “It was cold, and I just bought something warm while out with staff,” she said. “I posted the photo to connect with fans, but then the company contacted me. I deleted it right away.”
Online outrage intensified by political symbolism
Despite her clarification, the backlash on Korean online platforms was intense. On theqoo, nearly 1,500 critical comments flooded the post. Many users there interpreted Karina’s outfit as a political statement against their favored candidate, Lee Jae-myung.
theqoo is known as a far-left community and is home to strong supporters of President Lee. Some users expressed extreme hostility toward Karina, believing she stood on the opposite side politically. Their reactions reflected an emotional, zero-tolerance response to perceived political messaging.
Clarification of Karina followed by official statement
SM Entertainment also addressed the issue through an official statement. The agency said, “We apologize for causing concern through Karina’s post. It had no political intent.” They explained that the post was meant to show daily life and nothing more. The company emphasized that the misunderstanding was unintentional.
Karina echoed this sentiment in her interview. “I had no political motive. I just wanted to say sorry to the fans who were so worried,” she said. “I regret my ignorance. Even if I’m overseas, I should have been more aware.”
Public response reflects South Korea political divide
Karina’s situation highlighted the deeply polarized state of South Korean politics. Communities like theqoo reacted harshly due to their ideological leaning. In contrast, male-oriented forums like MLBPARK defended Karina and criticized the outrage from the left.
Some MLBPARK users pointed out the overreaction and called out political bias in the response. They also attacked far-left communities for what they saw as targeted harassment. Karina unintentionally became a flashpoint in a larger cultural and political battle.
Even though she tried to clarify and apologize, the damage had already spread. Her words showed accountability, but the public response exposed how divided the country has become.
Here’s a link to theqoo. Here’s a link to MLBPARK.
Thank you so much for reading this post! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to share them in the comments!
What’s the big deal if Karina supports a conservative party? Everyone who’s a fan already knows she’s Catholic and leans conservative. I thought South Korea was a democratic country. I just can’t wrap my head around getting attacked for supporting a conservative party in a democracy. Her overseas fans still love her unconditionally.