Girl Group Focuses on Music Amid Industry Rivalry

Courtesy of SM Entertainment

SM Entertainment girl group Aespa addressed recent comments made by Hybe Chairman Bang Si-hyuk, stating they are not taking the remarks seriously. This comes as the group promotes their first full-length studio album.

“We know about the issue and people around us have been telling us about it. But because we had our first full-length studio album coming up, we were so focused on preparing for the album only,” said Karina, an Aespa member, during a press conference held in Seoul on Monday.

The controversy began last month when Ador CEO Min Hee-jin shared phone messages from Bang, who had urged Min to create a girl group that could “crush” Aespa. This was before Min established Ador under Hybe’s multi-label system. Hybe, known for successful boy bands like BTS, had not yet produced a prominent girl group. Min subsequently launched NewJeans, seen as Aespa's main rival.
 

▲ K-pop girl group aespa / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentAespa's new single "Supernova," released on May 13, is currently competing with NewJeans' “How Sweet,” which was released on May 24. The two groups' albums were also released just three days apart, with NewJeans on May 24 and Aespa on May 27.

Despite the competitive context, Aespa emphasized their positive relationship with NewJeans. “NewJeans and we are good companions. We recently met them at one of the television music show’s waiting room. We showed (hand) hearts to each other. There is nothing to worry about,” Karina added.

As of Monday, Aespa’s "Supernova" is ranked No. 1 on both the Melon Top 100 Chart and the Hanteo Digital Chart, with NewJeans’ "How Sweet" at No. 2.

Aespa released their first studio album, “Armageddon,” on Tuesday. The album features 10 tracks, including "Supernova." The title track is described as a retro track with hip-hop elements.

“It has strong beats and addictive hook that many refer as the SM style of music. We wanted to show our true color of Aespa music in this new album, which is what we are good at and what defines us,” said Winter, another Aespa member.

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Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com