Karina of Aespa Experiences Significant Decline in Brand Reputation Ranking Amid Political Controversy

The latest brand reputation rankings for June revealed a surprising drop for aespa Karina, who has regularly been among the top names in K-pop brand charts. Once holding 4th place, Karina plunged all the way down to 26th, sparking widespread discussions online. Many Korean netizens quickly linked this steep fall to a recent political controversy that involved a photo she shared in May.

The controversy centers around an Instagram post Karina took down shortly after sharing it. In the photo, she’s wearing a red and black windbreaker marked with the number “2” and added a rose emoji in the caption. Although it seemed like a casual post, the timing raised eyebrows. The rose symbol is connected to the upcoming 2025 presidential election, often called the "Rose Election" due to its unusual timing in spring instead of winter. This connection led many to suspect Karina was making a subtle political statement.

SM Entertainment moved quickly to deny that Karina meant any political message, and she issued an apology as well. Despite that, the damage to her brand reputation appears to have stuck, with some commentators pointing to a sharp decrease in her score. One netizen noted:

"She went from 4th to 26th. Her score literally got quartered. The political controversy seems to have hit hard"

This was shared alongside a screenshot of the ranking, showing Karina sitting just behind TWICE Mina at 26th place.

The topic stirred plenty of debate among Korean netizens, many weighing in on whether the controversy really impacted Karina’s standing in the industry. Opinions ranged widely, with some brushing off the rankings as just “reference material” that doesn’t truly measure an idol’s real popularity:

"So does this mean Giselle is more popular than Karina now? Lol. Brand reputation rankings are just reference material. They don’t define your level."

Others pointed out the backlash mainly came from specific online communities:

"Most of the backlash came from women’s communities, and people think that alone would hurt Karina? Get real."

Some thought the drop in ranking was overblown:

"First time seeing an idol get hate just for dropping in brand ranking."

Meanwhile, fans highlighted that she remains heavily active in endorsements despite the scandal:

"If there was really damage from the controversy, her ad deals would’ve been pulled. But she’s still got plenty of major campaigns."

Skeptics also questioned the reliability of brand rankings in general:

"The brand rankings are basically a joke if influencers get awards and shoot reels just because they’re paid. Can’t believe people trust this stuff."

Still, loyal fans stayed vocal in support:

"Karina is still a top-tier idol no matter what."

"Only her image is ruined on these forums. In reality, she’s still a top idol. This place is just a loser hangout."

"You guys are just jealous because you know she’s still on top."

"Bitter middle-aged women. In reality, Karina’s still top tier."

They also advised her to stay strong amid online criticism:

"The moment politics gets involved, these communities turn into a mess. Stay strong, Karina… This is just online noise. In real life, you’re still number one."

"It’s still Jennie and Jang Won Young at the top."

And to close on a hopeful note for her career:

"She’s still representing top brands just fine."

"I’ve never seen any idol get this much buzz online because her brand reputation went down. lol."

With the political controversy behind her and ongoing support from fans, it remains to be seen whether Karina will bounce back in the coming months. For now, her brand reputation dip stands as one of the more talked-about shifts in the K-pop world this year.