aespa's KARINA has finally spoken out about the so-called 'political controversy', admitting her ignorance and expressing how difficult it was to see her fellow members also get hurt because of her.
KARINA appeared on the YouTube channel 'Fairy Jae-hyung' on the 6th, where she cautiously opened up about the outfit controversy that erupted ahead of the presidential election last May. At the time, KARINA posted a photo of herself wearing a red jumper with the number '2' on it to her Instagram, sparking suspicions of political intent.
Regarding this, KARINA explained, "That day, I went out with the staff and it was chilly, so I quickly bought a jacket to wear. It was a post meant to communicate with fans, but I realized my ignorance when I had to take it down after receiving a message." She added, "Even though I was abroad, it was something I should have been aware of. I realized I need to be more aware and educate myself."
She also said, "It's true that I threw out a topic for discussion and I have to bear the responsibility, but what hurt the most was seeing the members also getting harmed."
Previously, just days before the presidential election on May 27, KARINA posted a photo taken on the streets of Japan, which raised suspicions of revealing political colors.
As the controversy spread, KARINA deleted the post about an hour later and apologized through the fan platform Bubble, saying, "That was not my intention at all."
Despite her apology, a spokesperson for the People's Power Party shared aespa's music video 'Supernova' with the caption "SHOUT OUT TO", and a party committee chairman posted a threatening message on social media saying, "Touch KARINA and you're dead." Additionally, singer JK Kim Dong-wook added fuel to the fire by posting on his social media that "Nowadays, even K-pop stars from big agencies boldly express their opinions," suggesting KARINA's outfit was not just a simple incident but a political statement, furthering the misunderstanding.
Photo = YouTube 'Fairy Jae-hyung'
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)