K-pop girl group aespa appeared at the 2025 Fact Music Awards (TMA) in Macau on September 20. Not only were they one of the show’s headliners, but they walked away with major honors. The girls won Artist of the Year, Muse of the Year (a Daesang), and a Special Jury Award. They also performed their latest singles Dirty Work and Rich Man, along with their hit Whiplash.
An Uneven Stage
aespa sang live all throughout their set, though Dirty Work and Rich Man suffered from overly loud AR. For those that don’t know, AR is short for “all recorded”. That means the whole song with pre-recorded vocals plays in the background. You really had to pay close attention to tell the girls’ actual voices from the AR. Not a good look for a group that’s been accused of lip-syncing.
Out of the three songs, Whiplash was their best stage. It was the only song aespa performed without any AR. Unfortunately, the microphones were low and the choreography was out of sync. For the entire set, the girls lacked the cool edge, the badass energy those songs emanate.
Reactions from Korean and international netizens have been mixed. Some have accused aespa of lip-syncing due to the overpowering AR. MYs (aespa fans) praised their performance. Some argued that people are being too judgemental while others felt aespa’s stage presence was lacking. It was better than their Good Morning America performance from a couple weeks ago, but only slightly.
This is Not a Hate Post
I don’t want to sound like an aespa hater because I’m not. I’m rooting for these girls. I write these types of articles because I believe they can be a major force to be reckoned with in the industry.
It’s just that SM Entertainment and Center ONE don’t seem to know what to do with the group. It’s obvious that aespa is exhausted. It shows in their expressions, the way they dance. These girls have been touring all year in-between album preparations, promotions and other activities.
Will SM Turn Things Around?
My biggest concern is that SM will ignore any kind of criticism towards aespa (even if it’s constructive). Instead of adjusting choreography, or giving the girls a chance to rest, the company will expect the fans to act as a shield. SM will keep pushing aespa while expecting MYs to support them, no matter how bad things get.
That never ends well. Even fandoms have their limit for what they’re willing to tolerate. Eventually, they’ll fracture. The fans who won’t turn a blind eye will move on to other groups. Which is every agency’s worst nightmare considering how often the industry pumps out new idols.
SM has the resources to turn things around. They can hire the best dance instructors, performance directors. They can also give aespa a nice, long vacation. Manage their schedules better so they’ll have the energy for live shows. The question is whether SM and Center ONE will acknowledge there’s a problem. Nothing can protect aespa from the consequence of being pushed too hard, too fast.
