HYBE shade or self-introspection? Lines from aespa's new song 'Whiplash' met with mixed reactions
While the line in question wasn’t written by the four members—Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning—it has gone viral, with fans claiming it is aimed at HYBE.
Updated : October 22, 2024 12:49 PM ISTWhile the line in question wasn’t written by the four members—Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning—it has gone viral, with fans claiming it is aimed at HYBE.
aespa Whiplash
The South Korean girl group aespa, from SM Entertainment, released their new mini-album "Whiplash" on October 21, accompanied by a high-energy music video for the title track. This comeback marked the group's fifth mini-album, following their successful debut studio album "Armageddon" earlier this year.
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Renowned for their metaverse concepts and hyper-pop sound, aespa infuses their music with a new level of confidence and swagger through this EDM-driven, techno-inspired track that is sure to leave listeners breathless.
While their fans, known as "MYs," have been streaming the song and enjoying it—particularly the line "Cats gon' copy one idea, two, then the whole look, then deny it"—many aespa fans on X (formerly Twitter) have started suggesting that this line was written as a dig at the company HYBE. This speculation stems from the "step on aespa" line found in text messages between former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin and HYBE Founder Bang PD.
Since then, aespa fans have expressed animosity toward all HYBE groups. While the line in question wasn’t written by the four members—Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning—it has gone viral, with fans claiming it is aimed at the conglomerate.
On the other hand, HYBE group fans have countered by pointing out that aespa has faced repeated plagiarism allegations from smaller artists. Many even claim the song resembles Charli XCX's album "Brat", especially after MYs discreted every other girl group. This controversy was ignited by Pop Base’s X account, which shared the lyrics.
THE HYBE SHADE YOURE SOOO REAL AESPA NO ONE CAN STEP ON THEM pic.twitter.com/oVkKA7Wqkv
— 윈터얼트 (@wntrult) October 21, 2024
the most successful #1 fanboy gets another shoutout from aespa https://t.co/a3RmO8r0hL pic.twitter.com/InfAc9igMb
— HyDy🪷 (@hunnydunny) October 21, 2024
Notice how whiplash actually sounds like brat but no accusations start but when crazy came out sounding nothing like it…
— ︎ ︎ ★ (@_ssrfm) October 21, 2024
hybe hired the creative who previously worked on drama's visual graphics because of the teasers impact. their fans denied it
— aetridem (@aetridem) October 21, 2024
jype hired demjointz for a piece of supernova bread. their fans denied it
aespa said we see you 😭 https://t.co/ZVlczhm7XV
Mys mentioning Hybe like always meanwhile SM got caught multiple times copying directly from TXT and other Hybe groups and other creators and then going and either crediting the victims in the work or straight up signing with them to avoid getting a lawsuit 🥹💀😭 https://t.co/HS3U1ieLXt
— AyMaAs⁷ ➕✖➕*🇵🇸*✧ᯓ✦ (@aymaas25) October 21, 2024
Sm stans getting brave when sm spent their entire debut era hiring all those artists who filed law suits against aespa for copying them. 😂 https://t.co/jBa6kj6Cz4
— 🌟 (@Ellieeiee) October 21, 2024
«Cats gon' copy one idea, two, then the whole look, then deny it😎🤪» like their creative director didn’t make their whole aesthetic off Pinterest🤪🤪 what’s funny is they prob didn’t even these goofy ass lyrics themselves https://t.co/Sc66TAgZT0 pic.twitter.com/GI3oVIq5ec
— . (@knjknj1209) October 21, 2024
The call is coming from inside the house. Copyspa https://t.co/QuakOMAVpU pic.twitter.com/PX7LW8kPCg
— HEY (@finessedamsel) October 21, 2024
About Whiplash:
The mini-album features six tracks, each adding a distinct sound to its overall vibe. Alongside the title track, the songs "Kill It," "Flights," "Not Feelings," "Pink Hoodies," "Flowers," and "Just Another Girl" offer a blend of styles, ranging from hard-hitting beats to more melodic and introspective tunes.
The group also expanded their global reach with their first Japanese single, "Hot Mess," marking their official debut in Japan. With "Whiplash," aespa aims to take another significant step forward and solidify its status as one of the leading girl groups of K-pop's new generation.