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'Horribly rude': aespa’s NingNing and Giselle’s behavior towards IVE questioned amid Karina post controversy
aespa faces fresh controversy as resurfaced clips spark debate over alleged mockery of IVE members, following Karina’s recent political backlash. Read more here!
The controversy surrounding aespa continues to escalate. Fresh allegations now target members Ningning and Giselle for allegedly mocking IVE’s Liz and Rei during previous public appearances.
This follows the recent political backlash tied to Karina’s Instagram post. Since then, the group has been under intense scrutiny. Despite swift clarifications from both Karina and SM Entertainment, online criticism has not subsided. Now, aespa finds itself embroiled in a new wave of controversy, this time over alleged behavior toward fellow girl group IVE.
Past moments resurface
Netizens have recently resurfaced clips from major year-end music shows. They claimed that aespa members behaved insensitively toward IVE members during vulnerable moments.
The first incident reportedly occurred at the 2023 Melon Music Awards, when IVE’s Liz and Rei became emotional during an acceptance speech. A month later, during the 2023 Gayo Daejejeon, Ningning and Giselle were seen covering their faces in a gesture that some interpreted as mockery of IVE’s previous tearful moment.
Another focal point of criticism came from footage showing aespa members smiling during Rei’s heartfelt speech at the MMAs. However, some fans argue it was misunderstood.
Fans push back
Supporters of aespa have quickly pushed back against the backlash, offering alternative perspectives. Many have pointed out that the gesture made by Ningning and Giselle occurred while singer Lee Juck’s emotionally resonant song Don’t Worry played. It is a track known to move audiences to tears.
In this context, fans argue that the members were simply reacting to the sentimental performance and not mocking anyone. Regarding the incident involving Rei’s speech, fans believe the smiles from aespa were not rooted in malice. It rather reflected warmth or empathy in response to Rie’s sudden tone shift.
Karina’s post controversy
Earlier, aespa’s Karina faced backlash when she uploaded a series of photos on Instagram on May 26. The post stirred political debate. In it, Karina was seen wearing a bright red jacket with the number ‘2’ prominently displayed. She captioned the image with a single rose emoji.
While the post appeared harmless at first glance, some online users interpreted the imagery as a subtle nod to a conservative political party in South Korea. The party is said to be associated with the color red and the number 2. This led to accusations that Karina was expressing political support, triggering backlash from those who believed idols should avoid politically suggestive content.
Ongoing scrutiny
Despite the explanations, aespa remains under the microscope, with the recent controversies putting their public image at risk. Online discussions continue to dissect the group’s behavior at past events, fueling ongoing debates across social media platforms.
