aespa

aespa is a four-member South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment, consisting of Karina and Winter from South Korea, Ningning from China, and Giselle, who is Japanese-Korean. The group debuted on November 17, 2020, with the digital single «Black Mamba» and quickly became one of the defining acts of fourth-generation K-pop.

aespa's concept is built around the idea of each member having a virtual AI-powered counterpart, or avatar, positioning the group as the first act within SM's expansive SMCU (SM Culture Universe) storytelling framework. This human-AI duality, expressed in their name — a blend of “avatar,” “experience,” and “aspect” — has shaped both their visual identity and their narrative-driven music videos and lore.

Musically, aespa blends hard-hitting pop, R&B, rock, and electronic elements, often built around aggressive hooks, genre-shifting song structures, and cyberpunk-inflected production. Their 2021 single «Next Level» became a breakout global hit and remains one of their signature songs, followed by other high-energy tracks such as «Savage», «Supernova», and «Armageddon» that cemented their reputation for bold, maximalist pop production paired with tightly choreographed performances.