Aespa's Karina apologises for Instagram post which appeared to signal her political affiliation
Karina of K-pop girl group Aespa has issued an apology over a now-deleted Instagram post which, according to South Korean netizens, had signalled her support for the conservative People Power Party (PPP) in the country's upcoming presidential election.
On Tuesday (May 27), the 25-year-old uploaded a series of photos – some of which showed her wearing a black jacket with red stripes and the number 2.
Both the colour red and the number 2 have been associated with South Korean presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo of the PPP, with red being the party's representative colour and Kim being the second listed candidate on the ballot.
The caption of Karina's Instagram post also featured an emoji of a red rose; the upcoming election has been called a "rose election" in South Korea as it comes during a season when roses are in bloom.
During election season, South Korean entertainment figures, including K-pop idols, are strongly advised by their agencies to avoid actions that could signal their political affiliations.
These include wearing the representative colours of the various political parties and showing certain hand gestures, such as a thumbs-up or a peace sign, in public.
Following the backlash surrounding her post, Karina took to the fan messaging app Bubble to apologise.
She wrote: 'I'm really sorry for making Mys [Aespa's fans] worry. I had no such intention at all. But the misunderstanding kept growing and since you were so worried, I thought I should talk to you directly. From now on, I'll also try to be more attentive and act more carefully. I'm sorry once again for making you worry.'
Karina's agency, SM Entertainment, has also issued a separate statement, apologising for Karina's actions.
'Karina merely shared something about her daily life on social media, with no other intention or purpose whatsoever,' wrote SM Entertainment.
'However, upon realising that the post could lead to misunderstandings, she promptly deleted it. We sincerely apologise for the unintended concern it may have caused. We will also be more mindful and put in greater effort to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. We hope that the artiste's intentions will no longer be distorted or consumed with a specific agenda. We will continue to do our utmost to protect Karina and all of our artistes.'
Conversely, Karina has seen a rise in support from fans of the PPP, with many of them calling her a "goddess" in online communities.
The jacket she wore, made by American brand Vaquera, has also sold out in numerous online stores.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AsiaOne
an hour ago
- AsiaOne
Miss World 2025 sees first winner from Thailand - meet the political science student who champions breast cancer awareness, Lifestyle News
The title of Miss World 2025 went to Thailand's Opal Suchata Chuangsri after the grand finale held in Hyderabad, India on Saturday (May 31). Taking over the crown from last year's winner Krystyna Pyszkova of Czechia, Opal is the 72nd Miss World and the first winner from Thailand in the history of the pageant, according to the organisation. She was up against three other contestants in the final round of the pageant: Hasset Dereje from Ethiopia, who was the first runner up; followed by Maja Kladja from Poland and Aurelie Joachim from Martinique. The finalists also had to answer a question to the jury that was meant to test their vision, eloquence and values. According to an article on Miss World's website, Julia Morley, chairwoman of the Miss World Organisation — who also presided over the jury — praised the finalists for their "depth, grace and clarity of thought", particularly Opal. "Tonight, the world saw not just a beauty, but brilliance, courage, and a call for change. Opal has shown us that she is more than a winner, she is a woman of purpose, with a voice that the world is ready to hear," she stated. So, who exactly is Opal Suchata? Born in 2003 and hailing from Phuket, Thailand, Opal is a political science student studying at Thammasat University in Bangkok. She is an advocate for breast cancer awareness. According to the 23-year-old, she went through breast surgery to remove a benign tumour when she was 16. The political science student championed the cause for Miss World 2025's Beauty With A Purpose campaign — a segment of the contest that showcases compassion and community impact. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Opal Suchata (@suchaaata) She also founded the Opal for Her project, which aims to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer prevention. In addition to the main title of Miss World 2025, Opal also won the contest's Multimedia Challenge and topped the contestant app leaderboard with more than 2.3 million views. She had previously participated in Miss Universe 2024 and came out as third runner-up. View this post on Instagram A post shared by TPN GLOBAL (@ Speaking as the 72nd Miss World 2025, Opal expressed: "This moment is not just a personal victory, it is a shared dream of every young girl who wants to be seen, heard and create change. I am honoured to represent this legacy and use my time as Miss World to make a real difference." [[nid:703478]]
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
As her 1962 song Pretty Little Baby goes viral, singer Connie Francis, 87, joins TikTok
American singer-actress Connie Francis' song Pretty Little Baby, which she has described as "obscure", is a TikTok hit. PHOTO: CONNIE FRANCIS/INSTAGRAM NEW YORK – Sixty-four years ago, American singer-actress Connie Francis recorded Pretty Little Baby as one of dozens of songs in a marathon recording session that yielded three albums within two weeks. It did not, at the time, feel like a song that had the makings of a hit, so it landed on the B-side of the 1962 single I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter that was released in Britain. Since then, it was more or less overlooked. Then came TikTok and its canny ability to resurrect decades-old songs for a new generation. Over the past few weeks, Pretty Little Baby has been trending on the social media app – it has been featured as the sound in more than 600,000 TikTok posts, and soared to top spots in Spotify's Viral 50 global and US lists – bolstered by celebrities and influencers. These include German model Nara Smith and American reality TV stars Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian, who have posted videos of themselves lip-syncing to it. Swedish pop group Abba's singer Agnetha Faltskog used the song for a clip on TikTok in which she said Francis had long been her favourite singer. And Broadway actress Gracie Lawrence, who is playing Francis in Just In Time – a play about American singer-actor Bobby Darin, Francis' one-time romantic partner – also posted a video of herself lip-syncing to it, in her 1960s costume and hair. Pretty Little Baby's current popularity is an unexpected twist to Francis' long and illustrious career. In 1960, she became the first female singer to top the Billboard Hot 100. By the time she was 26, she had sold 42 million records and had two more singles top the Billboard charts. But this particular song, which she recorded in seven languages, remained so obscure that Francis, now 87, told People magazine that she had forgotten ever recording it and 'had to play it to remember it'. Amid the frenzy of the unexpected attention, she is trying to figure out how to turn this sudden attention into opportunities for herself. She and her publicist Ron Roberts enlisted Roberts' son to help them set up a TikTok account for her. And in a recent telephone interview, she said she had been mulling the idea of emerging from retirement to do some kind of show in the next few months. How does it feel now that this song is having a kind of resurgence? Well, it's not a resurgence because it never happened in the first place. It's an obscure song on an album that I did – it wasn't even a single record. It went unnoticed. Now, it has 10 billion views. How do you feel about that? On top of the world and overwhelmed that a whole new generation of people know me and my music now. You once mentioned that you had forgotten recording this song. What were your thoughts hearing it again? It's a cute song. I couldn't imagine that it has the effect that it has worldwide on people – it's hard to believe. I wanted something for the B-side of a single, and I chose something that wouldn't give my A-side any competition. I don't even know the name of the record that I put it on. But I think it has a ring of innocence in this chaotic time and it connects with people. You now have a TikTok account. Can we expect posts from you? Yes, when my publicist said I went viral on TikTok, I said: 'What's that?' That was my reaction. 'What's viral? What's that?' I thought my computer had a virus or something. I didn't know what he was talking about. Are you using TikTok regularly now? Yes. I think it's great. I'm going to be putting a lot of different things on my TikTok now. Thank you, TikTok. NYTIMES Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
South Korean voters weigh political divide in partisan heartlands
Mr Kim Sung-gyun, 60, a former automotive industry worker, said he is undecided. PHOTO: AFP Daegu - The top contenders in South Korea's presidential vote on June 3 have framed their campaigns as an existential fight for the country's soul, and whoever wins will have to unite a sharply-polarised society. The election was triggered by ex-leader Yoon Suk Yeol's disastrous declaration of martial law in 2024. All major polls suggest victory for Lee Jae-myung of the liberal Democratic Party, with Mr Kim Moon-soo of the right-wing People Power Party (PPP) trailing far behind. From the city of Daegu, for decades synonymous with conservatism, to Gwangju, the spiritual heartland of the left, AFP spoke to voters about where they stand and how the country's divide can be healed. Switching sides Mr Lee Woo-hyun, an entertainment professional from Daegu and long-time conservative voter, told AFP the martial law fiasco 'really shook' him. 'When I talk to my parents and other senior citizens, I can see they are turning away from the red,' the 45-year-old said, referring to the symbolic colour of the PPP. 'Some might wonder how one incident could completely change my stance,' he said. 'But for me, it did. A lot of people in their mid-40s feel the same way. They don't think what happened was right.' Generational divide Mr Ko Seung-ju, an electrical engineering major, sees growing cracks in Daegu's traditional conservative support base. 'Younger voters are no longer likely to blindly support the conservatives,' he said. The Yoon administration's decision to cut the national research and development budget has hit science and engineering students hard, he said. 'I really hope that gets reinstated.' 'Balance is important' Mr Kim Sung-gyun, 60, a former automotive industry worker, said he is undecided. He disagreed with Yoon's attempt to impose martial law, which he described as creating 'extreme chaos'. 'People's lives are already difficult enough.' But he expressed reservations about one side gaining unchecked power – pointing to the opposition's near two-thirds majority in Parliament. 'Balance is important,' he said. He said he plans to vote for whoever he believes 'puts the people first', regardless of traditional regional loyalties. The unshaken Shopowner Kim remains unfazed by the martial law bid. 'Declaring martial law was wrong, but nothing actually happened afterwards so they should just move on,' said Mr Kim, who declined to share his full name over privacy concerns. For the 69-year-old, the local economy is the primary concern. He said it was 'wiped out' by the Covid-19 pandemic and has never recovered. 'It's impossible to keep a business afloat – there's rent to pay, wages to cover and constant stress piling on.' A vote for democracy Ms Lee Gwi-nye, 79, a lifelong resident of Gwangju, voiced firm support for the Democratic Party and its candidate Lee. 'Democracy lets us live freely and comfortably,' she said. 'But parties like the PPP, honestly, don't feel democratic at all.' To her, democracy means 'being able to live and act freely, with peace of mind'. 'History matters' Ms Jung Se-yoon, 65, a retired teacher, said she doesn't believe in voting solely along party lines. But she vividly recalled a bloody 1980 crackdown in Gwangju by South Korea's former military regime which left hundreds dead or missing. 'Those experiences still resonate. That's why I believe history matters,' she said. The upcoming election must serve as a 'turning point'. 'It will take far too long for the country to get back on its feet if we miss this chance – and by then, we might fall too far behind,' she said. Beyond party lines Ms Haylee Lee, an English teacher, urged fellow Gwangju residents to 'make a decision based on their own convictions' rather than fall into habitual partisan voting. What matters most to her is how much effort presidential hopefuls make to listen to the concerns of ordinary people. 'Many politicians come from privileged backgrounds,' she said. 'I wonder how well they actually listen to the voices of the middle class.' Pressure as a centrist Ms Park Yeon-ok, 64, who works at a social enterprise in Gwangju, told AFP she often faces pressure when she identifies as a centrist. 'Many people immediately ask: 'So you're not supporting the Democratic Party? Then are you backing the People Power Party?' That kind of reaction is pretty common,' she said. In this election, Ms Park sees PPP candidate Kim as someone capable of bringing about unity. 'The divisions run deep,' she said. 'I hope the next leader can help bridge those gaps.' AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
