aespa's Karina spoke out on a broadcast about the 'political controversy' that arose last May, about a month and a half after the issue emerged. She expressed her apologies to fans, honestly acknowledged her shortcomings, and conveyed her desire to apologize once more.
On the 6th, a video titled 'Finally, here it is. The youngest guest Karina..!' was released on the YouTube channel 'Yeojeongjaehyung'. On this day, Karina appeared as a guest in the 'Yeojeong Table' corner, sharing a meal and various stories with MC Jung Jae-hyung.
During the conversation, when asked, 'What is your dream these days?' Karina replied, 'I have two dreams, and one of them is to live a peaceful life,' cautiously mentioning the recent controversy. She revealed, 'I thought that not only I but everyone around me should also have a peaceful time, especially since there was some issue recently.'
This appears to refer to the controversy stemming from a photo that Karina posted on her personal social media at the end of May. At that time, she uploaded a photo wearing a jumper with the red number '2' alongside a rose emoji, which led some to interpret it politically by suggesting it reminded them of a specific political party. Even individuals in politics started to comment, causing the issue to escalate. In response, Karina deleted the post and her agency, SM Entertainment, explained that it was 'an everyday post with no intention at all,' and they immediately deleted it after realizing it could be misinterpreted.
At that time, Karina conveyed her apologies through the fan platform 'Bubble,' saying, 'I'm really sorry for making my (fan club) worry. I had no such intention at all. I will act more carefully in the future.' However, this is the first time she has directly mentioned the controversy in a public setting such as a broadcast. Karina said, 'Actually, I had no such intention, so I wanted to talk about it even more,' adding, 'Fans were really worried, and I felt truly sorry for that. I'm really sorry for causing concern to fans and many others.'
She continued, 'That day the weather was cold, so I hurriedly put on an outer garment while going out with the staff, and I wanted to communicate with fans, so I posted it; as soon as I got contacted, I took it down immediately,' calmly explaining the situation at that time. She stated, 'I acknowledge that I was too ignorant. It was my responsibility for not knowing what I should know, even while I was overseas. I thought I needed to study and become more aware.'
In response, Jung Jae-hyung offered warm comfort, saying, 'Just by talking about it directly like this, the fans will understand enough.'
Through this broadcast, Karina summarized the situation in public for the first time since the controversy, delivering a sincere apology and reflection to fans and the public. Her cautious confession resonated genuinely with many.
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