Park Hye-mi Sparks Controversy with Blue Outfit on Election Day

On June 3, 2025, actress Park Hye-mi shared a photo of herself dressed in blue, the color associated with the Democratic Party of Korea, on her social media. This post gained attention as it coincided with the day of the 21st presidential election in South Korea. Just a day prior, broadcaster Hong Jin-kyung faced backlash for posting a photo in red, the color representing the People Power Party, and subsequently issued an apology.
In her post, Park Hye-mi expressed gratitude and happiness, holding a cup of coffee while wearing a blue outfit. Some netizens speculated that her choice of color might indicate indirect support for a specific political party, although she did not mention the election in her post.
There are interpretations suggesting that Park Hye-mi's choice to wear blue was a response to the criticism faced by celebrities for their clothing colors, as they have been scrutinized for seemingly endorsing political parties.
Following the controversy surrounding Hong Jin-kyung's red outfit, she issued a handwritten apology, stating, "I cannot believe I made such a foolish mistake during this sensitive time. I sincerely apologize for causing confusion among everyone."
Previously, Karina from the girl group aespa also faced political color controversy after posting a photo in a jumper with the number 2, which is associated with the People Power Party. Recently, celebrities have been criticized for holding items in colors that evoke specific political parties or for making gestures that resemble the number 2.