aespa

aespa — From KWANGYA Universe to First Japanese Mini-Album

aespa is a 4-member girl group from SM Entertainment that debuted on November 17, 2020, with "Black Mamba." The group officially introduced a universe connecting each member's virtual avatar æ and the virtual world KWANGYA to K-pop. In 2026, they are simultaneously expanding their domestic and international activities with their second full-length album 《LEMONADE》 and first Japanese mini-album 《KISS N TELL》.

Group at a Glance

4 Members

Position titles are not officially announced by the agency but are commonly used classifications within the fandom (only the leader is officially specified).

Giselle is a bilingual speaker who grew up in Tokyo and plays a key role in Japanese activities, while Ningning is from China.

《KISS N TELL》 — First Japanese Mini-Album (July 24, 2026)

aespa will release their first Japanese mini-album 《KISS N TELL》 on July 24, 2026. While they have built their foundation in Japan with single releases, including their debut single "Hot Mess" (2024), and arena tours, this is the first time they are releasing an original Japanese mini-album (EP).

The concept is the exact opposite of the domestic 《LEMONADE》. The released teasers feature pink-toned styling and Y2K retro-futurism, hinting at a different sound from the previous album's metallic sound. Ahead of the release, aespa met local fans at a fan meeting 《MY CLASSMaeTE》 held at Tokyo's Keio Arena from July 18-20.

《LEMONADE》 — Second Full-Length Album in 2 Years

On May 29, 2026, their second full-length album 《LEMONADE》 (10 tracks) was released, approximately two years after 《Armageddon》 in 2024. Earlier, on May 11, the atmosphere was heightened with the pre-release track "WDA (Whole Different Animal)" featuring G-DRAGON.

Album Performance

Title Track "Lemonade" Performance

A distinctive feature of this album is the simultaneous rise in both album-level metrics (Billboard Top 10 · 900,000 first-week sales) and song-level metrics (first entry on the UK Singles Chart).

Debut and Growth

From their debut song "Black Mamba," they successfully differentiated themselves with powerful beats and an SF concept, quickly solidifying their top-tier status with consecutive hits "Next Level" and "Savage." Their official fandom name is MY, which directly reflects their universe of a close connection between members and fans.

Music and Universe

aespa's music is characterized by strong electronic and hip-hop based sounds interwoven with the KWANGYA narrative. They have expanded the storyline connecting avatar æ, virtual being nævis, and antagonist Black Mamba with each album, reaching its peak in "Drama," "Supernova," and "Whiplash." They particularly garner attention for their powerful choreography and stage fancams.

Key Achievements

Their 2022 EP 《Girls》 became the first girl group album to surpass 1 million copies in its first week, and their 2023 album 《My World》 exceeded 2 million copies, entering the Billboard 200 Top 10. In 2024, "Supernova" topped the Circle Digital Chart for 11 weeks and won 'Song of the Year' at MAMA and the Melon Music Awards that year. In April of the same year, they performed at Coachella, becoming the third K-pop girl group to appear at Coachella.

They represent the 4th generation along with IVE, LE SSERAFIM, NMIXX, and BABYMONSTER.

Frequently Asked Questions

• When is aespa's Japanese album coming out? Their first Japanese mini-album 《KISS N TELL》 will be released on July 24, 2026. It includes 6 songs, including the title track.
• Is this their first Japanese album? While they have had singles ("Hot Mess," etc.) and arena tours before, this is their first mini-album (EP).
• Who are the aespa members? They are a 4-member group — Karina · Giselle · Winter · Ningning.
• What is their second full-length album? It's 《LEMONADE》 (10 tracks), released on May 29, 2026, with the pre-release track "WDA" featuring G-DRAGON.
• When did they debut? They debuted on November 17, 2020, with "Black Mamba."

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