Milan Fashion Week Karina Gawon Mislabeling Controversy: A Pattern of Disrespect?
Exploring the Milan Fashion Week Karina Gawon mislabeling controversy by CULTED. Fans call out repeated errors as racial microaggressions or engagement farming.
Can't they tell us apart? A major fashion media outlet just mistook a rising K-pop star for an established icon—and fans aren't buying the 'innocent mistake' excuse this time.
The Milan Fashion Week Karina Gawon Mislabeling Controversy
According to social media reports on January 19, 2026, the excitement of Milan Fashion Week was soured by a significant blunder from the media outlet CULTED. While covering the Prada show, the publication posted a video of MEOVV's Gawon but identified her as aespa's Karina in both the caption and the tags.
Not the First Time: A History of Misidentification
Fans were quick to point out that this isn't an isolated incident for CULTED. Back in 2024, the same outlet faced backlash for identifying members of ILLIT as NewJeans during their Paris debut. This repetition has sparked accusations of racial microaggression and 'engagement farming,' where outlets intentionally use wrong tags to stir up controversy and comments.
This account is doing this on purpose. Using ILLIT's song but putting Gawon in the video while the caption says Karina... they just want attention.
This content is AI-generated based on source articles. While we strive for accuracy, errors may occur. We recommend verifying with the original source.
Related Articles
TXT claimed their first music show win for 'Stick With You' on Show Champion, April 22. Here's why this moment matters beyond the trophy — for MOAs, for HYBE, and for K-pop's evolving landscape.
ENHYPEN held No. 1 on Billboard's World Albums chart for 12 straight weeks, joined by BTS, Stray Kids, NewJeans and more. Is this proof of K-pop's global dominance—or a reflection of how fandom economics reshape music charts?
KISS OF LIFE claimed their first-ever music show trophy with "Who is she" on M Countdown. What does this moment mean for the group, their fans, and K-pop's evolving landscape?
Stray Kids earned a new RIAJ streaming platinum certification in Japan. But what does that milestone reveal about how K-pop is reshaping the world's second-largest music market?
TXT claimed their first music show win for 'Stick With You' on Show Champion, April 22. Here's why this moment matters beyond the trophy — for MOAs, for HYBE, and for K-pop's evolving landscape.
ENHYPEN held No. 1 on Billboard's World Albums chart for 12 straight weeks, joined by BTS, Stray Kids, NewJeans and more. Is this proof of K-pop's global dominance—or a reflection of how fandom economics reshape music charts?
KISS OF LIFE claimed their first-ever music show trophy with "Who is she" on M Countdown. What does this moment mean for the group, their fans, and K-pop's evolving landscape?
Stray Kids earned a new RIAJ streaming platinum certification in Japan. But what does that milestone reveal about how K-pop is reshaping the world's second-largest music market?
Thoughts
Share your thoughts on this article
Sign in to join the conversation