On October 21, aespa made their bold comeback with the 5th mini-album “Whiplash” and title track of the same name.
The song, which continues aespa’s hit streak after “Supernova”, was said to be “divisive” by an SM director himself, and his prediction seem to have come true – albeit for a different reason.
In particular, the lyrics for “Whiplash” is being suspected of “shading HYBE”, while the MV is accused of “copying BLACKPINK”.
To specify, “Whiplash” includes the lyrics “Cats gon’ copy one idea, two, then the whole look, then deny it”, which is speculated to be mocking those that try to imitate aespa’s success – especially HYBE, which previously expressed its intention to “trample on aespa”.
Comments such as “The HYBE shade, aespa is so real”, “They ate”, and “Them casually ending HYBE is sending me”, can be spotted under posts related to the aforementioned lyrics.
“aespa’s comment on their new song ‘Whiplash’ reflects their awareness of influence in the industry, addressing how others might mimic their style while not acknowledging it. This adds a layer of confidence to their artistry and highlights the originality they bring to their music”, a user also wrote.
Meanwhile, comparisons between aespa and BLACKPINK’s styles, especially in their MVs, have been surfacing as the lyrics gain traction.
Specifically, there have been comments that aespa’s “copy” call out is “coming from inside the house”, accusing aespa of “being a copy of BLACKPINK” and stealing “the iconic look of BLACKPINK” can be seen.
At the same time, some netizens defend aespa against these allegations, calling those who find the two girl groups similar to be “both blind and deaf”.
Source: X, Krb
