Netizens Analyze the Notable Disparity in aespa Members’ Popularity

Recently, all four members of aespa released their individual tracks; however, only Karina’s song achieved significant success on Korean music charts, sparking conversations regarding the varying levels of popularity among the aespa members.

A notable discussion titled “What is the true popularity disparity among aespa members?” emerged on the Korean forum Pann Nate, quickly gaining traction among users.

In the post, the original poster noted, “All four members debuted solo tracks, yet only one has reached the top charts,” adding, “It appears that fans are primarily streaming just one specific song.”

They further commented, “It has been a considerable amount of time since we’ve seen a group with such a stark contrast in member popularity.”

In response to the discussion thread, numerous internet users concurred that Karina stands out as aespa’s most prominent member. Meanwhile, some suggested that Karina’s song’s success is attributed to its quality rather than a genuine popularity gap.

Here are a few reactions from netizens:

It’s predictable since SM always amplifies Karina’s presence.
Articles like “Ningning is stunning,” “Giselle is becoming a visual,” or “Winter is a versatile idol” keep coming out, yet it feels like this group revolves around Karina.
They attribute the high rankings to trending challenges and MCountdown broadcasts, but the “Up” challenge was on fire before Karina’s version came out, with 40,000-50,000 videos uploaded beforehand. The MCountdown video was created after the “Up” challenge gained attention, specifically highlighting Karina.
So many challenge videos exist, yet the algorithm only promotes Karina’s content. What’s the distinction whether it’s a solo project or a group endeavor? Let’s wait for a genuine solo release before making claims. It’s absurd to criticize popularity while covertly celebrating Karina.
If Karina is the center for every track and often receives the most exposure, why aren’t her official merchandise sales reflecting that? She seems to be the focal point, especially with other members being spotlighted in connection to dating rumors.

Source: Pann Nate

Source