Karina, a member of the popular K-pop girl group aespa, has come under scrutiny after uploading an Instagram post that some netizens interpreted as a subtle political statement ahead of South Korea's upcoming presidential election.
The controversy erupted when Karina posted a photo on May 27 wearing a black jacket with red patterns and the number "2" clearly visible — an outfit that many fans believe broke the long-standing but unspoken K-pop idol rule of "no color, no gesture" during election season. She also included a red rose emoji in the caption, further fueling speculation. The photo was reportedly taken during a trip to Japan.
Online communities quickly reacted, with users dubbing her "Conservative Karina," "No. 2 Voter Karina," and even "Patriotic Karina" — nicknames often associated with conservative voters in South Korea, where red is the symbolic color of the People Power Party, whose presidential candidate is listed as No. 2 on the ballot.
Korea Joong Ang Daily reported that the image was soon deleted, but the backlash continued, with critics questioning the singer's awareness and carelessness, especially during such a sensitive political period.
Unspoken Rules for Idols During Elections
During election season, idols are unofficially expected to avoid wearing politically symbolic colors — such as red, blue, yellow, and green — and to refrain from using gestures like peace signs or thumbs-up that might inadvertently suggest support for a particular candidate or party number. Even abstaining from voting isn't without criticism, as idols are often expected to demonstrate their civic participation while maintaining strict neutrality publicly.
This delicate balancing act was evident earlier this week when Kim Tae-rae of ZeroBaseOne posted a selfie with a "V" sign and a blue phone, later explaining that he had included the blue color to "even it out" and avoid any potential political misinterpretation.
SM Entertainment Issues Apology
In light of the growing criticism, SM Entertainment released an official statement on May 28, clarifying Karina's intentions:
"We apologize for causing concern due to our artist Karina's recent post.
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. We sincerely apologize for any distress this may have caused unintentionally.
Our agency will also be more careful and make greater efforts to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. We hope that our artists' intentions will no longer be misrepresented or consumed with a particular agenda, and we will do our utmost to protect Karina and all of our artists.
Thank you."
As the two-day early voting period for South Korea's snap presidential election begins this Thursday, idols are expected to be seen at polling stations, carefully styled in neutral tones and avoiding gestures, in a continued effort to engage fans without crossing political lines.
