The Rise of Kpop Girl Group Aespa
The Powerhouse KPop Girl Group: Aespa
It’s no surprise that SM Entertainment is back with another Kpop group - and with it, a whole new backstory to go along with their new alluring concept. For diehard Kpop fans, you know this isn’t exactly new when it comes to SM Entertainment. EXO for example was designed with the idea of supernatural beings to fuel their Kpop group’s persona. SuperM on the other hand was heavily inspired by superheroes for their concept. So what is Aespa’s model built after? The notion of avatars in a digital space, existing as their online/offline persona. A concept that isn’t so wild given the use of social media and our dependency on the digital world nowadays. Aespa, their chosen Kpop group name, derives from the combination of “Avatar Experience” and “Aspect” merged into one, implying themes of experiencing the world through one’s avatar. The band members’ avatars go by ae followed by their respective name, therefore being referred to as ae-Karina, ae-Winter, ae-NingNing, and ae-Giselle. The idea is that, while they embody these avatars, they’re also not identical copies of their real-world self, as with anyone these days that puts themselves online. With such an elaborate concept and backstory, we’re excited to see the direction Aespa takes in the music industry - we have hope that it will heights that would make it worthy of our Top Kpop Girl Groups of All Time.
Aespa Concepts and Words You Need to Know
In several of Aespa’s music videos, you’ll notice a series of words and concepts that they sing or rap about that might be unclear on what they may be referencing. Well, we got you on that. Below are some of the terms you might want to familiarize yourself with before doing a deep dive on Aespa.
FLAT: Their avatars exist within the FLAT, a metaverse-like digital world.
SYNK: Think of the SYNK as something similar to your internet connection. The SYNK is what allows Aespa’s avatar’s the ability to travel from the FLAT to the REAL WORLD.
REKALL: The action of traveling between the FLAT and REAL WORLD.
P.O.S: The portal they use for REKALL.
KWANGYA: A secondary space that exists between the FLAT and REAL WORLD.
NAEVIS: Aespa’s navigation system.
Members of Aespa
Karina
She is the leader and face of the group, taking the role of lead dancer, rapper, vocals, and visual. Karina of Aespa symbolizes the heart. Standing at 5’6” and 99 pounds, Karina is the tallest member of Aespa. Her birthday lies on April 11, 2000, which makes her an Aries. Her nationality is Korean.
Winter
She is the vocalist and dancer of the group. Winter of Aespa symbolizes the star. Standing at 5’5” she is the same height as Giselle. Her birthday lies on January 1, 2001, which makes her a Capricorn. Her nationality is Korean.
Giselle
She is the main rapper and sub-vocalist for the group. Giselle of Aespa symbolizes the moon. Standing at 5’5” she is the same height as Winter. Her birthday lies on October 30, 2000, which makes her a Scorpio. Her nationality is Japanese-Korean.
NingNing
She is the main vocalist of the group. NingNing of Aespa symbolizes the butterfly. Standing at 5’3” and 94 pounds, she is the shortest member of the group. Her birthday lies on October 23, 2002, making her a Scorpio as well. Her nationality is Chinese.
Aespa’s Musical History So Far
Aespa debuted with their hit single Black Mamba. It was awarded the first single to hit 100 million views in the shortest amount of time (51 days) for a debut. They launched a second surprise single in early February 2021 titled “Forever”. Fast forward to May 17, Aespa launched their third single “Next Level” followed by their plans for their first mini-album. After a brief teaser in September, Aespa finally came out with their first min album in October titled Savage, which also featured 6 other song titles in the mix. Surpassing their milestone of 400,000 pre-orders, the song “Savage” reached all the major Korean digital billboards. With so much potential and hype circulating Aespa, we are excited to see what else they have in store for awaiting fans.
Love keeping up with all your favorite Kpop stars? Check out our latest recap on Netflix’s Light Up The Sky Documentary featuring Blackpink to stay in the know. As stan’s of multiple Kpop groups, we love staying up to date on all the latest news and fashion they rock. If you’re just as obsessed as we are, don’t forget to check out our take on How to Dress like a KPop Star for all the trendy fits your idol is wearing this season. For more clothing inspiration, you can also browse our shop’s section on Kpop Fashion over at Lychee the Label.
