aespa appeared at the 76th NHK Kohaku Uta Gassenaired on December 31, 2025. Shortly after the broadcast, a netizen posted on social media claiming that the group’s time on stage was intentionally linked to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The post stated that the Hiroshima atomic bomb was dropped around 8:15 am, with the flash and explosion occurring around 8:15:43 am, and claimed that the aespa were performing during that time. exact time slot when you look at the Kohaku transmission.
The claim spread quickly on Japanese social media. Some users claimed the time was 8:15 deliberately chosen to evoke August 15, the day of Japan’s defeat in the Second World War (also Korea Liberation Day), suggesting hidden intentions behind the aespa appearance.
Some Japanese netizens insisted that the moment on the aespa stage could not have been a coincidence. Others have gone further, raising accusations of insult Japan and speculate on alleged links between the AESPA agency and Chinese capital. Some have even stated that words such as are found in the lyrics of aespa songs “great flash,” “fall,” and “blow” they were symbolic references to the atomic bombing.
As the conspiracy theory escalated, NHK strongly denied the allegations, saying that claims circulating on social media were “completely unfounded misinformation” and pointing out that it was there no such intent behind the programming.
The controversy has also resurfaced in the past over criticism involving member Ningning, who faced backlash from Japanese fans in 2022 after posting a photo of a desk lamp that some claimed it looked like a mushroom cloud. In the context of worsening tensions between China and Japan, a petition had even emerged opposing Ningning’s appearance Kohaku.
On the day of the broadcast, it was confirmed that Ningning had the flu. Her agency explained: “Ningning was diagnosed with flu and doctors advised her to get enough rest. We informed NHK and it was decided that only Karina, Giselle and Winter would appear this year.” Kohaku Uta Gassen.”
Regarding Ningning’s past post, the agency previously said, “There was no specific purpose or intention, but it caused concern. We will be more careful in the future.”
Despite the broadcaster’s clarifications, the incident highlights how quickly unfounded theories can spiral online, turning a routine end-of-year show into an unexpected international controversy.
Sources: Daum
