Girl group aespa held a showcase for their first full-length album, “Armageddon,” in Yongsan, Seoul on May 27.
During the event, aespa received questions about being mentioned in the conflict between K-pop powerhouse HYBE and Min Hee-jin, CEO of its subsidiary ADOR. Min held a press conference last month, revealing a messenger conversation with HYBE Chairman Bang Si-hyuk. Bang asked Min, who is preparing for the debut of the new girl group NewJeans, whether she can “beat aespa,” which sparked controversy.
The group member Karina said, “We are aware of the issue and have heard a lot about it from those around us,” and added, “As it’s our first full-length album, we dedicated ourselves to practicing.” She further expressed, “Thanks to the support and love from our fans, we were able to prepare diligently and have a satisfying start.”
She also commented on NewJeans, saying, “We recently met them on a music broadcast. We exchanged hearts in the waiting room. We talked about how cute they were and that we are watching them well.” She reassured, “There is no worry at all. We are getting along well as good colleagues.”
Winter said, “Rather than deeply pondering, it seems we just accepted it as, ‘I hope our first full album goes well.’” Ningning said, “Music is subjective,” adding, “We are constantly competing with our past selves. Since every artist has their own color and charm, it seems impossible to compare or replace them.”
The quartet’s first full-length album, “Armageddon,” released after four years since their debut, includes a total of 10 diverse tracks, including the double title tracks “Armageddon” and “Supernova.” The previously released “Supernova” topped both real-time and daily charts of major domestic music streaming platforms such as Melon Top 100, Hot 100, Bugs, Genie, Flo, and Vibe.
This article was originally published on May 27, 2024.
