Rapper Lee Young-ji has issued an immediate apology and even changed her hair color to put out a growing controversy, after facing criticism that her red hair and outfit during an election period could lead to political misunderstandings.
On June 1, Lee Young-ji posted a photo of her newly dyed black hair on her social media, writing, "You must have been very surprised by the story I uploaded yesterday, which was so poorly timed. Many people pointed it out to me via DM, and because I felt so sorry, I wanted to fix it somehow. My explanation was delayed because I rushed to get my hair dyed. I am sorry."
She continued, "Even though I was clearly aware that this is an important period, my desire to communicate took over, and I was too busy mindlessly posting recent photos. I will not hide behind the cowardly excuse of ignorance; I will reflect and learn. I apologize for my careless actions," she repeatedly apologized.
Previously, Lee Young-ji had posted a photo of her red-dyed hair on her Instagram Story with the caption, "Isn't the hair color pretty?"
The post featured the song "REDRED" by the group CORTIS as background music. Following this, some online communities and social media users pointed out that repeatedly exposing a color associated with a specific political party during a sensitive period ahead of the June 3 presidential election was inappropriate. In response, Lee Young-ji deleted the post and took steps to resolve the situation.
Recently, during the election season, there have been consecutive instances where celebrities' outfits, props, and hand gestures have been interpreted with political meanings.
Previously, KARINA of the group aespa deleted a post after sharing a photo of herself wearing an outfit that emphasized a number and the color red, which led to political interpretations. Entertainer Hong Jin-kyung also had to clarify her stance after a controversy arose over a photo she posted wearing an outfit of a specific color. As interest in colors, hand gestures, and numbers that could evoke a specific candidate or political party heightens during election periods, celebrities are taking extra care to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)