2025 has been one of the most chaotic and reputation-shaking years in Korean entertainment. Political controversies, explosive celebrity scandals, legal wars between labels and top artists, and debates over cultural appropriation have repeatedly ignited public outrage.
From idols losing million-dollar contracts overnight to lawsuits threatening the biggest K-pop groups, the year was a reminder of how fragile fame and public trust can be.
Below is an in-depth look at the biggest scandals shaping K culture in 2025.
1. Karina’s political backlash almost cost her million-dollar business
One of the most explosive controversies centers on Aespa Karinawhose seemingly innocuous Instagram post sparked a nationwide storm.
A few days before the Korean presidential elections on June 3, Karina posted a selfie wearing a red jacket with the number “2,” a color strongly linked to a specific political party.
In the heated electoral atmosphere, public opinion interpreted this as implicit political support. The violent reaction erupted within hours.
Major brands including Converse Korea, Prada and Vita 500 reportedly held emergency meetings to assess the damage. Many feared public boycotts that could force them to cut ties with the idol.
Karina he quickly deleted the post and publicly apologized, but the outrage has continued reflecting how idols in Korea face severe scrutiny over even the smallest actions during election season.
Past elections have sparked similar accusations about: clothing colors, hand gestures, captions, phone cases and hair colors.
In 2025, the climate was so intense that almost every social media post could be interpreted as a political statement.
2. Kim Soo-hyun’s career-shattering underage dating scandal
Another major shockwave hit the industry when rumors about the actor resurfaced Kim Soo-hyun and the late actress Kim Sae-ron, suggesting the two may have dated when she was a minor.
The controversy was devastating:
- Major sponsorship deals have collapsed
- Homeplus immediately removed it from the campaigns
- Numerous ongoing projects cut ties
- Public sentiment collapsed
Although Kim Soo-hyun and his legal team denied all allegations, the damage was done. According to a JoyNews24 survey involving 110 industry professionals, it was voted: “The worst entertainer of the year.”
His emotional press conference in March has become one of the most talked about public appearances of 2025.
3. The civil war between NewJeans and HYBE
Few events have shaken K-pop more intensely than the prolonged legal conflict between New Jeansformer CEO of ADOR movieand HYBE.
As of late 2024, the feud has escalated with accusations of: creative plagiarism, abuse of power, violation of company protocol, mismanagement, and manipulation of public narratives.
The conflict has jeopardized the future of one of K-pop’s biggest groups.
Despite attempts to terminate their exclusive contract, the Seoul court ruled: New JeansThe contract with ADOR remains valid until 2029.
This meant:
- Haerin and Hyein returned to ADOR first
- Minji, Hanni and Danielle followed later after internal discussions
- Their independent brand NJZ could not continue under a separate name
The entire dispute has highlighted structural instability within Korea’s leading entertainment conglomerate and revived public debate over artists’ rights, corporate control and creative ownership.
Meanwhile, SM Entertainment has faced renewed criticism over “contract slavery” issues. Chen, BaekhyunAND Xiumin reignited their long-standing fight for royalty transparency.
4. KISS OF LIFE loses 200,000 followers amid outrage over cultural appropriation
This is one of the most serious cultural controversies of the year KISS OF LIFEwho lost over 200,000 followers on Instagram in just a few days.
During the member JuliaDuring ‘s birthday livestream focused on old school hip-hop, the group wore styles strongly associated with black culture such as: bantu knots, exaggerated gold chains, retro hip-hop accessories.
International fans have accused the group of cultural appropriation and reinforcing racial stereotypes.
The reaction was intense, enlivened by previous incidents in 2023, when Julia was criticized for singing a song containing racial slurs.
The group’s apology was not enough to reverse public sentiment, and their reputation suffered serious damage.
This controversy has also revived old debates about K-pop’s long history of: culturally insensitive hairstyles, inappropriate use of AAVE, racially charged lyrics, and stereotypical portrayals in MVs or photoshoots.
Groups like it BLACKPINK were also re-examined for past language use during pre-debut training clips resurfaced online.
5. Charity events scandal: South Korea is under fire for donation abuse
Towards the end of 2025, W KoreaThe annual breast cancer benefit gala has sparked one of the most unexpected controversies.
Despite hosting a star-studded guest list, including: V AND RM (BTS), Taeyang (BIG BANG), Jang Won-young (IVE), espa, THE SERAPHINS, Hi Woo-seok and more.
It was revealed that less than $1 million made its way to charities over several years, despite huge sponsorship income.
Fans and the general public have criticized: the lack of transparency, the gala’s “party atmosphere” overshadowing the cause, inappropriate TikTok challenge segments, and shows like Jay Parkwhose song praises physical appearance, seen as tone-deaf by a breast cancer charity
People wondered whether the event was truly intended to raise public awareness or simply serve as an advertising platform for a luxury brand.
Bottom line: a year that redefined public trust in K-Culture
2025 has forced the Korean entertainment industry to face deeper questions:
- Political polarization
- Corporate exploitation
- Cultural sensitivity
- Lack of transparency
- The fragility of celebrity images
- The enormous pressure placed on idols
Each scandal has revealed the growing gap between public expectations and industry behavior.
As K-pop and K-dramas continue to expand globally, 2025 may be remembered as the year the industry faced a reckoning that could reshape its values, its operations and its relationship with the world.
Sources: Korea Herald, JoyNews24, QQ, W Korea, Sports DongA, Newsen
