TWICE Jihyo’s Unexpected Accessory Triggers Heated Political Debate
TWICE leader Jihyo has recently gotten caught up in a heated social media discourse after posing with an accessory with a strong message on it.
In her latest Instagram post, Jihyo included a close-up shot of herself sporting a halter-neck top with a pair of jeans, and a black baseball cap. The lettering on the cap was partially covered with emojis, but that did little to stop fans from digging up the original product. As it turned out, Jihyo’s cap said “United Against Fascism.”
The item was from the Radical Media Archive project, which highlights “rare printed matter born from protest, imagination, and collective belief” through its merchandise. The particular hat Jihyo wore in her post has since sold out on their website.
While K-Pop idols are often restricted by their profession from expressing any belief that could be considered political, Jihyo’s endorsement of a message like “United Against Fascism” received huge praise from fans.
Oh to be Jihyo
Gorgeous, talented, in Italian fields, and wearing an Anti Fascism hat pic.twitter.com/sHltWgi8W5
— J (🍏) (@j3ybias) May 21, 2026
The concept of jihyo using oranges (the most common way to describe trump) to censor and basically call trump a fascist is exactly what i want to see 😻😻 pic.twitter.com/cxbuWoMV5r
— 🩻 (@itsalwayschuu) May 22, 2026
When our president can't say she's Antifascista but Park Jihyo CAN pic.twitter.com/w9Hg7qza9p
— 💙💜❤️🩹 햇살🐥⁷原💣⁵🍋⁸🧭 (@Sun5hine_blue) May 21, 2026
However, the fact that she censored the word “Fascism” in the original post, along with the eventual deletion of the picture, has also drawn a wave of criticism toward the idol.
lmao i love ji*yo but is the idol image so precious that you need to blur out the word “fascism” in a hat that says “united against fascism” lmao like why are u even wearing it then 😭😭😭
— t (@shimulacra) May 21, 2026
we’re back to idols can’t say anything political to protect their careers discourse in light of.. jihyo censoring the word fascism on her united against fascism cap. incredible stuff
— mingyu: CHECK PLEASE! (@sonmattaego) May 22, 2026
ya praising this but if she actually did endorse this then there’s no point in censoring and censoring it means she and her team knows what that means https://t.co/zmU8VOGWcc
— 𝗌𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗒𝗅 (@AgentSheryl) May 21, 2026
Despite the criticism, fans defended the idol, arguing that she had to self-censor to cater to sensibilities of her own country.
jihyo censoring the word “fascism” makes so much sense, because last year sokor made a list of leftist idols and censored them, nobody would want to get censored in their own country. so let's not make a big deal out of this https://t.co/vRADH2ooSA
— 𝗇𝖺 (@zyopjm) May 21, 2026
Hey once.
As someone who always supports her, I’d like to ask for your understanding. In Korea, political messages—whether leanings are left or right—can be an incredibly tricky and sensitive issue. In my view, that is why she chose to censor her own Insta post with a sticker.… https://t.co/aIC7IIExCk— 효모된모찌🍡 (@hyomohan_mozzi) May 21, 2026
the censor is funny but i cant even blame korean celebs considering the stupid contracts theyre under and the way fascists there act https://t.co/lQpbkQxnoV
— plazy ☾*✲⋆. (@plazynoodles) May 21, 2026
