aespa’s Karina Opens Up For 1st Time On Broadcast About The Impact Of Her Red Jacket Political Controversy, Explains What Happened

Karina of the girl group aespa has addressed the recent political controversy surrounding her. This comes about a month after the 21st presidential election in South Korea.

On June 6, during an appearance on the YouTube channel “Yojeong Jaehyung,” Karina spoke about the issue involving a red jacket with the number “2” on it. She explained, “There was absolutely no political intention, so I really wanted to speak about it. I’m deeply sorry for causing concern to our fans and many others.” She added, “I was out with staff and it was chilly, so I bought something to wear. I posted the photo to connect with fans, but after being contacted about the post, I took it down. I was very ignorant. Even if I’m abroad, I should have known better.”

Karina further reflected, “It made me realize that I need to be more aware and educate myself. It’s true that I was ignorant.” She admitted, “Since I was the one who created the situation, I must take responsibility. But it was really hard seeing even the members get dragged into it.”

She also shared her personal aspirations: “I have two dreams. First, I just want to live a peaceful life. With all that’s happened recently, I now hope not only for my own peace but for everyone around me too.” She continued, “My second dream is to live a long life as Yoo Jimin. Being Karina is great, but I also want to live a stable, fulfilling life as Yoo Jimin, the daughter of my parents.”

The controversy started when Karina posted photos on Instagram on May 27, wearing a red jacket with the number “2” during a trip to Japan. With the election just a week away at the time, some speculated that the outfit showed support for a particular candidate.

SM Entertainment issued an apology, stating: “We apologize for causing concern with Karina’s post. She uploaded the photo as part of her daily life and had no political intent. Upon realizing the potential misunderstanding, she deleted the post right away. We sincerely apologize for the unintended concern.”

Karina also personally addressed the issue via the fan communication platform Bubble, saying: “I’m really sorry for worrying MYs (aespa’s fandom). I had absolutely no such intention, but since the misunderstanding kept growing and MYs were getting more worried, I felt I needed to speak directly. I’ll be more mindful and careful in the future. I’m sorry again for the concern.”

What do you think of her response to this?

Source: (A)