Hong Jin-kyung Addresses 'Political Controversy' Over Red Sweater Photo: 'Posted Without Thinking, Hope Misunderstandings Are Cleared'

Broadcaster Hong Jin-kyung has spoken out about the 'political controversy' that arose during the past presidential election, expressing her hope that misunderstandings will be resolved.

Appearing on the YouTube variety show 'Pinggyego' on the 15th, Hong Jin-kyung honestly answered Jo Se-ho's question about her political affiliation. She stated, "Honestly, when I hear about this party, it seems right, and when I hear about that party, their points also make sense. That's why the presidential election period was so difficult for me."

She added, "People and politics aren't just good or just bad, are they? Our lives are the same. I love everyone," emphasizing her neutral stance.

Hong Jin-kyung also revisited the 'red sweater photo' incident that became a topic of discussion. She recalled how she posted a photo of a red sweater she bought at a store near her lodging the day before the presidential election, only to be misunderstood as having political intentions.

She recounted the situation, saying, "I was excited and posted it, but the next morning, I felt strangely uneasy. When I turned on my phone, I had 80 missed calls and over 300 messages. Even Jo Se-ho called me 100 times," expressing her bewilderment at the time.

Jo Se-ho explained, "I saw that Ms. Jin-kyung posted the photo without thinking, but viewers imbued it with meaning. I felt the need to resolve the situation quickly," adding that he even considered finding out the hotel's name.

Hong Jin-kyung concluded, "I truly didn't know back then. But now, I hope many people will clear up their misunderstandings," revealing her feelings about the incident.

Netizens showed support and empathy, commenting things like, "Jin-kyung is lovely no matter what she does," "That must have been really baffling back then," and "I hope the misunderstandings are cleared now."