Hong Jin-kyung Clears Up 'Red Knit' Controversy: 'Just Shopping in Stockholm After Interviewing Candidates'

Entertainer Hong Jin-kyung has personally addressed the controversy surrounding her social media post of a 'red knit' sweater during the presidential election period.

In a YouTube video released on the 'DdeunDdeun' channel on the morning of the 15th, host Yoo Jae-suk sat down with long-time friends Ji Suk-jin, Hong Jin-kyung, and Jo Se-ho for a talk about 'Living a Fake Life'.

When asked about her recent activities, Hong Jin-kyung initially responded with silence, eliciting laughter. Previously, during the presidential election, she posted a photo of herself in a red knit on social media, sparking suspicions of political affiliation. This incident occurred around the same time she revealed her divorce, adding to the public's concern.

Hong Jin-kyung explained her venture into the Nordic market for her food business. "Samuel, the CEO of a Finnish advertising company, showed interest in our food business. His daughter loved K-pop. I happened to invite them home and served them food. When I gifted her merchandise of her favorite singer, the child burst into tears. Seeing that, even Samuel was moved and agreed to become a partner," she shared.

She continued, "Thanks to Samuel, I met many people in the Nordic region and focused solely on work. For my final schedule, I arrived in Stockholm. Near my accommodation, there was a store of a brand I love. I found a very beautiful red sweater and immediately bought it and took a picture. It had absolutely nothing to do with the election," she explained the situation at the time.

"The next morning, I woke up and felt strangely uneasy. It turned out the situation had blown up because of the photo I posted on social media. It caused an even bigger stir because it happened right after I had interviewed all three presidential candidates," she added. Her phone was flooded with hundreds of missed calls and messages.

Jo Se-ho also recounted the tense situation: "Back then, in our group chat, we even discussed trying to find out her hotel name to reach her." Hong Jin-kyung calmly stated, "At first, people might have wondered, but when I didn't take the picture down, they saw it as 'great determination.' I ended up writing and posting an apology. But if there had been even 0.1% of intention, I would have been truly scared." Yoo Jae-suk comforted her, saying, "Now that time has passed, you can talk about it like this."

Following the broadcast, netizens commented, 'Hong Jin-kyung's explanation is refreshing,' 'That must have been so baffling at the time,' and 'What did a red knit ever do wrong?', showing empathy for her candid explanation.