Karina's Converse Sneaker Ad Removed After Backlash Over Alleged Racist Imagery, Brand Issues Apology

K-pop star Karina’s latest Converse campaign has been pulled after the sneaker brand faced backlash over imagery that critics said evoked the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and lynching. Converse apologised for the advertisement and said it is removing the campaign from all platforms where it appeared.

The advertisement featured Karina, a member of the K-pop group aespa, promoting Converse’s Chuck 70 X and Run Star Crush sneakers. In the image, she is seen holding a pair of black high-top shoes under a star-shaped spotlight while wearing a long white skirt.

The campaign drew criticism online over the way the lighting and composition appeared in the image. Some users said the white, pointed shape created by the lighting resembled a KKK hood, while the position of the sneakers made them appear like the feet of a person being hanged.

The controversy intensified after another image from a Converse campaign resurfaced, showing sneakers hanging from a tree branch. Critics said the combination of the visuals was particularly disturbing because of its perceived connection to the history of lynching in the United States.

US Representative Troy Carter, a Democrat from Louisiana, also criticised the campaign and questioned how the advertisement was approved.

"Nike and Converse, what the hell were you thinking?" Carter said, adding, "Your campaign shows what looks like a hooded Klansman, framed by what appears to be the dangling feet of a lynching victim. There is nothing creative or artistic about it. It is racist, reckless and deeply offensive," as quoted by Fox News.

Following the backlash, Converse removed the advertisement and issued an apology.

"We’re sorry. We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognise that we got this wrong. We removed it from our channels and are working to remove it everywhere it appeared. This should not have happened, and we will do better," the company said.

The controversy has also raised questions about how the advertisement cleared the brand’s internal review process. Converse declined to provide further details about how the campaign was screened and approved, according to reports.

While some social media users argued that the resemblance was not intentional, others called for a boycott and demanded accountability from the company.

Carter’s office said removing the advertisement and issuing an apology were not enough.

"An apology and the removal of the images are not enough. Nike and Converse must explain how this campaign was conceived and approved, identify those responsible, and commission an independent investigation. They must also disclose the process and establish safeguards to ensure that imagery invoking the Klan and the lynching of Black people is never approved again," the spokesperson said.

As of the latest reports, Karina and her management agency, SM Entertainment, have not reacted to the controversy.