Aespa’s Karina addresses controversy over ‘politically charged’ outfit
Karina of K-pop girl group aespa wears a red jacket with the number “2” in a photo posted to Instagram on May 27, a week before the presidential election, sparking political controversy. Captured from her Instagram
Karina, a member of K-pop girl group aespa, has offered a public explanation about one month after sparking political controversy with a social media post in which she wore a jacket featuring the number “2” in red, a color and number associated with Korea's conservative People Power Party, ahead of Korea’s presidential election.
Speaking on the singer and YouTuber Jung Jae-hyung's YouTube channel “Fairy Jaehyung” on Sunday, Karina said she had no political intent and was unaware of the connotation at the time.
“I want to talk about it because there truly was no such intention,” she said. “I’m so sorry for worrying our fans and many others. I was out with staff and bought an extra jacket because the weather was chilly. I just posted a photo to communicate with fans, but then I was contacted about it and took it down. I was simply ignorant. Even if I was overseas, I should have known better.”
Karina originally posted the photo on May 27, just a week ahead of the presidential election, prompting speculation that she was implicitly supporting a specific candidate.
The jacket — red with a large number “2” on the back — drew swift backlash and calls for clarification. Despite deleting the post, the controversy continued to circulate online.
In the YouTube interview, Karina further reflected on the incident, saying, “I realized I need to be more aware and informed. It was my ignorance. Since I was the one who created the situation, I have to take responsibility. And I accept that. But it was really hard seeing the other members affected too.”
Karina speaks during the YouTube show “Fairy Jaehyung,” released Sunday. Captured from YouTube
Karina also spoke about her personal dreams: “I have two dreams. One is to live a peaceful life. With all the recent issues, I’ve come to really wish for a calm and stable life for myself and the people around me.”
“My second dream is to live a long life as Yoo Ji-min,” she added, referring to her real name. “I love being Karina the artist, but I also want to live a fulfilling life as Yoo Ji-min, the daughter of my mom and dad. If Karina is a persona, then I want my real life as Yoo Ji-min to be grounded and enjoyable.”
This article is translated by a generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.