On November 18, 2025, the French luxury house Chanel Beauty officially announced K-pop star Karina of the girl group aespa as its newest ambassador.

This high-profile partnership was immediately celebrated with the release of Karina’s debut pictorial for the brand, cementing her status as a global fashion and beauty icon.

The synergy between the globally successful K-pop group and the timeless luxury brand marks a major milestone for Karina’s solo career and highlights her growing influence in the high-end beauty sector.

The Debut Pictorial: Interpreting Natural Beauty

To inaugurate the ambassadorship, Karina’s debut pictorial was revealed via W Korea magazine. The images showcased her embodying the brand’s aesthetic with a modern flair.

  • Thematic Alignment: According to Chanel Beauty, Karina was tasked with bringing her unique interpretation to the brand’s enduring philosophy of “natural beauty.” This focus suggests a shift toward highlighting understated elegance and genuine confidence in the campaign’s visual identity.
  • Aesthetic Characteristics: The pictorial successfully captured a charm that is described as being both “effortless and confident.” Her resulting appearance was lauded for its “signature elegance” and “refined sense of style,” culminating in a look that is mature, composed, and utterly captivating. Additional campaign details confirm that the makeup look centered on a ‘natural look’ where her skin’s radiance was enhanced using products like the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Cushion Foundation, complemented by a soft, luminous color from Rouge Coco Baume Shine.
Pure Elegance: aespa’s Karina Named New Ambassador for Chanel Beauty - 1

aespa’s Karina (Credit: YouTube)

The full pictorial is available for viewing in the November issue of W Korea, as well as across Chanel Beauty’s official website, Instagram, YouTube, and other digital platforms.

The Future of the Collaboration

The partnership between Karina and Chanel Beauty is set to be extensive and multifaceted, building on the strong foundation laid by the debut pictorial.

  • Upcoming Campaigns: The collaboration will involve launching “various collaborative campaigns together” in the future. These projects are intended to “present new facets of beauty” through creative and diverse campaigns, leveraging Karina’s global reach and striking visual appeal.
  • Industry Context: Karina’s appointment as the face of Chanel Beauty solidifies her position among K-pop’s elite luxury ambassadors. This major deal follows other high-profile endorsements and collaborations, demonstrating her substantial commercial power and sophisticated image, which resonates strongly with luxury consumers worldwide. Her success reflects aespa’s overall dominance in the global entertainment market, which has recently included milestones like earning various Circle Chart certifications and headlining major international festivals.

The synergy between the group’s global prominence and the luxury house’s heritage promises to redefine contemporary beauty standards in exciting and influential ways.

A Japanese woman in her 50s has been formally indicted without detention in South Korea on charges of forcible harassment (also referred to as indecent assault) after allegedly kissing BTS member Jin without his consent at a fan meeting.

The woman, identified as “A,” has reportedly expressed her shock and claimed she is being treated unfairly, stating,

“I never imagined this would be considered a crime.”

The alleged incident took place in June 2024, the day after Jin completed his mandatory military service, during his highly anticipated “Free Hug” fan meeting at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul.

The event allowed approximately 1,000 lucky fans to personally greet and hug the artist.

  • The Accusation: The woman is accused of forcibly kissing Jin on the cheek during her interaction, an act that visibly surprised and discomforted the idol, as shown in widely circulated footage.
  • Fan Outrage and Complaint: The moment quickly spread across social media, leading to widespread outrage within the ARMY fanbase. Several fans subsequently filed complaints through the government’s Civil Petition Service, requesting an investigation for “harassment in a crowded public place.”
  • Indictment: The Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors’ Office indicted her without detention on November 12, 2025. Prosecutors charged her with sexual assault/indecent assault, confirming that the act constituted a criminal violation of personal space and dignity.

Investigation Timeline

The case faced significant delays due to the suspect’s residency, requiring cooperation between international police forces:

Date Event Details

  • June 2024 Incident Occurs Woman forcibly kisses Jin on the cheek at the fan meeting.
  • June 2024 – March 2025 Initial Investigation Seoul Songpa Police launch a probe; however, the woman returns to Japan. Police work with Interpol to identify her, but the investigation is temporarily suspended in March due to the suspect’s unavailability abroad.
  • Early 2025 Voluntary Return The woman voluntarily returns to Korea to appear for questioning by the police.
  • May 2025 Case Forwarded Seoul Songpa Police conclude that her actions constituted a crime and forward the case to prosecutors.
  • November 12, 2025 Indictment Prosecutors formally indict the woman without detention on charges of forcible harassment/indecent assault.

The woman’s defense that she “didn’t think it was a crime” contrasts sharply with South Korea’s firm legal stance on sexual harassment and assault:

  • Korean Law: Under current South Korean law, forcible harassment in a public space can result in penalties of up to one year in jail or a fine of approximately 3 million won (about $2,150) if convicted. More severe laws, such as Article 298 of the Criminal Act (Indecent Act by Compulsion), carry penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 15 million KRW.
  • Legal Message: The successful indictment, despite the international complications and initial suspension, sends a strong message from Korean authorities regarding the need to protect personal dignity and boundaries, emphasizing that such non-consensual physical contact, regardless of the fan’s intent, constitutes a criminal act.