"For the time being, we must avoid numbers and colors." The core member of the popular idol group aespa, Karina, was also caught in the political complexities, which set off alerts in the entertainment industry as the presidential election approached.

On the 28th, Karina cautiously apologized, saying through the fan community platform Bubble, "I'm sorry for making My (aespa fandom) worried. I had no intention of doing that at all, but I thought I should talk directly since misunderstandings keep growing and My is very worried."

Earlier, Karina posted everyday photos taken in Japan on her personal SNS. However, in the photos, she was wearing clothes decorated with a red pattern and the number 2, along with a rose emoji. This led to interpretations suggesting she was supporting the "candidate number 2" in the recent election climate known as 'Rose Election.' Consequently, she deleted the photo quickly and even spoke out.

Karina stated, "From now on, I will also be more cautious and act carefully. I'm sorry once again for causing worry. Have a good day today," while denying the related allegations. Her agency, SM Entertainment, also emphasized that Karina had no political intentions and that it was merely a mistake, promising to prevent such incidents in the future. Nevertheless, the angry public sentiment has not easily subsided.

In fact, on the 24th, Karina wore an outfit close to the symbolic color blue of "candidate number 1" for her airport fashion, but it was not interpreted as a sign of support. She raised one hand in a greeting-like gesture, but there was no mention of support for "candidate number 5."

Specifically, certain supporters of particular candidates misunderstood Karina's explanation and exaggeratedly portrayed her as a so-called "conservative goddess." Ironically, those opposed to her did not accept her explanation and intensified the critical opinions. In the midst of extreme political turmoil during the election period, no explanation seems to be effective.

Unfortunately, this is fated timing. During the last election, former President Yoon Suk-yeol was elected by a mere 0.73% margin, and he even faced impeachment due to insurrection allegations stemming from a state of emergency declared on December 3rd of the previous year, leading to the formation of the early election climate. This unprecedented event in constitutional history has rallied the support bases of each candidate. The demand for precise identification and the tendency to interpret any statement subjectively exploded with Karina's post.

Although it was just an outfit, the weight of its interpretation has grown due to the sensitive timing of the election period. An insider from the entertainment industry said, "Naturally, it can become sensitive. There is no response that can satisfy everyone regarding such issues. Avoiding is the best policy, and any information that can convey sensitive messages like numbers or colors should be avoided. At least to not make anyone uncomfortable." For example, during election seasons, those in the entertainment industry are very careful even about typical promotional actions like announcing release dates for movies or broadcasts.

Ultimately, the core of the swirling public opinion about Karina lies in the difference in interpretation. Even if Karina did not intend it, how fans or the public interpret it can drastically alter her image and evaluation. During politically-sensitive times like election season, even unintended expressions can be read as specific political messages, amplifying the effects.

In reality, the context in which idol stars like Karina are loved has always been about interpretation. How they express symbols and meanings beautifully and excellently within songs of about three minutes, even a single scene from a music video, or a word from the lyrics has drawn fans' attention and focus. The praise intended for the taste of "Armageddon" and "Whiplash" simply took a different direction this time. The interest that was welcomed when it came to compliments cannot be filtered out during ordinary times.

Among all this, the voice that the political stance of entertainers should be respected has little actual effect. As a result, many stars choose silence, but ironically, that silence is also interpreted and consumed in this structure. Social media has brought stars and fans closer together, but at the same time, a minor image or a single word is overly interpreted as a symbol in this age. Ultimately, stars do not fully enjoy the freedom of expression, while fans do not hide their disappointment when it does not align with their expected values.

Considering and balancing the diversity of broad interpretations by an unspecified majority is essential. The clash between the freedom of political expression and image management illustrated by Karina's controversy shows what kind of ripples occur when these two values collide. It is an era where a single outfit can define an entertainer's identity.

[Photo] OSEN DB, Source from SNS.

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