On the evening of September 8, the 2024 Fact Music Awards (TMA) officially took place in Japan, bringing together a host of K-pop idols. One of the most talked about moments was the special interaction between aespa and NewJeans on stage.
The connection between the two groups is intriguing, as HYBE president Bang Si Hyuk once “confided” in NewJeans’ “creator” Min Hee-jin about his desire to “surpass” aespa. However, at present, NewJeans is often seen as the “abandoned child” of HYBE president after his disputes with Min Hee-jin.
Because of this, photos featuring both aespa and NewJeans in the same frame were quickly shared on social media. Netizens praised the “visual overload” of these two girl groups, both representing the fourth generation of K-pop.
Furthermore, the backstage moments between aespa and NewJeans, full of warmth and friendliness, made fans think that they looked like “sisters”. After aespa received the Daesang Award, NewJeans had the chance to chat with their superiors. The images of the two groups chatting non-stop on stage and NewJeans members being playful with aespa delighted fans.
During the photoshoot, aespa even offered the front row to NewJeans, which made the HYBE girls feel a little awkward and made them smile awkwardly in front of their seniors. The kindness shown by both of their generation’s girl leaders made the competitive world of K-pop seem more beautiful than ever.
The images of aespa and NewJeans together reminded K-pop fans of a rare moment when Red Velvet and BLACKPINK were photographed together. At the 2019 Gaon Chart Music Awards, the clash between these two same-generation groups caused a stir on social media.
Fans even went so far as to create edited images of both groups together, hoping that they would merge into a 9-member girl group. In real life, BLACKPINK and Red Velvet have a close relationship, so fans are eager to see more legendary moments like this in the future.
Source: K14
