The presidential election period has arrived, and controversy over political gestures in the entertainment industry is intensifying. As the 21st presidential election approaches in South Korea, idols are being extra cautious about their hand gestures and poses.

On May 27, NMIXX members Bae and Sullyoon hosted a YouTube live broadcast. Bae first made a cute gesture and flashed a V (✌️) sign with her fingers. She immediately shouted, "No! Don’t do the V!" and grabbed her head in distress.

Sullyoon also tried to smooth things over with a similar pose. As part of a challenge ending pose, she reluctantly made a V sign. Then, concerned about potential political implications, she quickly displayed all numbers from 1 to 5 with her fingers instead.

In the context of South Korean elections, the V sign can be interpreted as support for the conservative People Power Party, which is associated with the number 2 on the ballot and the color red. This association arises because the gesture resembles the number 2, leading to concerns that it might be seen as an implicit endorsement of a particular political party.

On the same day, TXT posted a photo on their official Japanese social media where they showed a neutral pose. Instead of the frequently used V sign from before the election season, all members clenched their fists and looked straight into the camera.

Virtual group PLAVE also couldn’t avoid misunderstandings about politically sensitive gestures. During a group photo on their May 24 YouTube live broadcast, members folded their fingers carefully while posing.

ZEROBASEONE’s Kim Tae Rae hastily edited a selfie on May 26. He had shared a photo of himself making a V sign with the caption "I'm in Korea" via the fan communication app Bubble.

About a minute later, he followed up with a message: "Oh right. I heard we shouldn't do the V sign during this season," and added, "I'll neutralize it with my blue phone case." He deleted the photo after this explanation.

That same day, fellow group member Sung Han Bin also maintained a neutral pose during the Mnet ‘World of Dance’ press conference. Instead of the requested “cheek poke” pose, he opted for the “dumpling pose,” where he placed a fist against his cheek.

After the press event, he went live on Instagram and said, "Given the situation right now... I thought doing the cheek poke pose might be misinterpreted," revealing that he was intentionally avoiding potentially controversial gestures during election season.

Similarly, idols are steering clear of other hand gestures that could be misinterpreted as subtle signs of political support for a particular party or candidate. Unfortunately, even non-Korean members aren't exempt from this scrutiny. RIIZE’s Shotaro, for instance, was seen quickly changing his hand pose after expressing surprise.

Meanwhile, South Korea's presidential election is scheduled for June 3, 2025. While the election normally takes place during winter, the 2025 election will take place in June, following Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment on December 4, 2024.

SEE ALSO: Why K-Pop idols refrain from holding up the 'peace' sign during South Korea's presidential elections