SEOUL, June 1 -- South Korea's entertainment industry has entered a peculiar season of self-censorship. As the country gears up for major elections, K-pop stars and celebrities find themselves navigating a minefield where seemingly innocent choices-from a hair color to a hand gesture-can be perceived as political statements.

The latest controversy to engulf the industry unfolded in the final days of May 2026, just ahead of the June 3 local elections.

On May 30, popular rapper and entertainer Lee Young-ji made an innocent post on her Instagram story: "Isn't the hair color pretty?" accompanying a selfie of her freshly dyed red locks. A follow-up photo showed her paired the new hair with a matching red T-shirt. The timing, however, proved ...