Aespa's Karina apologises for Instagram post which appeared to signal her political affiliation
On Tuesday (May 27), the 25-year-old uploaded a series of photos – some of which showed her wearing a black jacket with red stripes and the number 2.
Both the colour red and the number 2 have been associated with South Korean presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo of the PPP, with red being the party's representative colour and Kim being the second listed candidate on the ballot.
The caption of Karina's Instagram post also featured an emoji of a red rose; the upcoming election has been called a "rose election" in South Korea as it comes during a season when roses are in bloom.
During election season, South Korean entertainment figures, including K-pop idols, are strongly advised by their agencies to avoid actions that could signal their political affiliations.
These include wearing the representative colours of the various political parties and showing certain hand gestures, such as a thumbs-up or a peace sign, in public.
Following the backlash surrounding her post, Karina took to the fan messaging app Bubble to apologise.
She wrote: 'I'm really sorry for making Mys [Aespa's fans] worry. I had no such intention at all. But the misunderstanding kept growing and since you were so worried, I thought I should talk to you directly. From now on, I'll also try to be more attentive and act more carefully. I'm sorry once again for making you worry.'
Karina's agency, SM Entertainment, has also issued a separate statement, apologising for Karina's actions.
'Karina merely shared something about her daily life on social media, with no other intention or purpose whatsoever,' wrote SM Entertainment.
'However, upon realising that the post could lead to misunderstandings, she promptly deleted it. We sincerely apologise for the unintended concern it may have caused. We will also be more mindful and put in greater effort to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. We hope that the artiste's intentions will no longer be distorted or consumed with a specific agenda. We will continue to do our utmost to protect Karina and all of our artistes.'
Conversely, Karina has seen a rise in support from fans of the PPP, with many of them calling her a "goddess" in online communities.
The jacket she wore, made by American brand Vaquera, has also sold out in numerous online stores.
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