Converse withdraws advertisement featuring K-pop star Karina

Converse has withdrawn an advertising campaign featuring K-pop star Karina of the group Aespa following social media backlash. The controversy arose from claims that the image's lighting and composition contained visual references to the Ku Klux Klan and historical lynching imagery.

In response to the criticism, Converse removed the advertisement from its digital platforms and issued a public apology, stating, “We understand why this image is deeply upsetting and recognize that we got this wrong.” Converse CEO Aaron Cain addressed the situation during a meeting with employees, condemning racism and acknowledging the error.

The company has announced it will conduct a review of its content approval and revision processes, utilizing an external entity to investigate how the campaign passed through various validation levels before publication.