Blue tteokbokki and all: Celebrities scramble to dodge 'color wars' ahead of local elections

As the June 3 local elections approach, a heated "color debate" has taken hold online — a phenomenon in which certain colors are seen as evoking specific political parties, prompting users to attack anyone who displays them. The trend has escalated into a broader social problem, with celebrities becoming targets of politically motivated witch hunts.

On Tuesday, a photo of tteokbokki went viral online. A post on X, formerly Twitter, captioned "I voted and now I'm eating tteokbokki," featured two versions of the dish side by side — one in its natural red and one digitally altered to appear blue. Many users assumed the blue version was a deliberate attempt to sidestep the color debate, while others read it as a witty satire of the whole controversy.

Being caught up in the color debate means an almost certain barrage of insults and hostile comments, regardless of any actual political intent. For celebrities, whose livelihoods depend on public goodwill, the pressure is particularly acute — many find themselves issuing unconditional apologies no matter what their intentions were.

Rapper Lee Young-ji recently posted a photo on Instagram showing her hair dyed red, only to be flooded with hostile comments from opposing political camps accusing her of supporting a particular party. She subsequently dyed her hair black and apologized, saying she had been "careless."

Singer Lee Seung-hwan, well known for his progressive political views, also drew suspicion from some followers when he was spotted wearing a red T-shirt, with people questioning whether he had changed his ideological allegiance.

Model and broadcaster Hong Jin-kyung posted a photo of herself in a red knit sweater on her personal account on June 2 last year, the day before the presidential election, and was forced to issue a handwritten apology. "Regardless of the reason, I was entirely in the wrong," she wrote. "I have no excuse whatsoever, and it is clearly my fault. I sincerely apologize again for causing confusion during this sensitive time."

Karina, a member of the K-pop group aespa, also sparked controversy on May 27 last year — a week before the presidential election — after posting an Instagram photo of herself wearing a jumper printed with the number 2 in red.

Her agency, SM Entertainment, issued a statement at the time apologizing for any concern caused by the post and adding that Karina had simply shared everyday content on social media with no other purpose or intent.

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