Karinaleader of the K-pop girl group aespa, she has become one of the most prominent idols of the fourth generation, celebrated for both her musical successes and striking visuals. In five years, it hits like Next level, Drama, SupernovaAND Whiplash has helped consolidate its position at the top of the industry.
Beyond music, Karina’s beauty is often described as “better than artificial intelligence” earning her a place among the “visual kings and queens” of the fourth generation alongside Jang Wonyoung, Yuna (ITZY), and Sullyoon (NMIXX). However, its appearance has also been the subject of ongoing debate.
Recently, a user on X (formerly Twitter) shared the first photos of Karina’s aespa debut Black Mamba MV. In these images, Karina’s face appears different: slightly rounder, larger eyes, and less refined facial lines than her current, highly stylized appearance. The post quickly gained traction, racking up nearly 9 million views, reigniting speculation about possible cosmetic enhancements.
Some netizens claim that Karina may have undergone minor procedures over time to enhance her natural rather than complete beauty “Artificial intelligence-like review.” Others question the growing pressure on idols to meet unrealistic visual standards, pointing out that even the best idols like Karina face scrutiny over every detail of their appearance.
Meanwhile, Karina’s solo release, Good stuffperformed moderately in streaming numbers, but initially struggled in Korean charts. As of November 18, it had not entered any national charts. On November 19, the song showed improvement, reaching number 112 on Melon and number 215 on Genie. In comparison, NingNing’s solo track Ketchup And Lemonade it came in first place on Bugs and number 16 on Melon, temporarily overtaking Karina.
Despite past successes with Onwhich made Karina the first fourth generation soloist to dominate the Korean charts in real time, Good stuff marks a modest setback in his solo career.
Sources: K14
