News of the mixed reactions to the lyrics of aespa’s new track ‘WDA (Whole Different Animal)’ drew the most attention on Global K-Snapp for the week of 5/8–5/14.
aespa dropped the pre-release single ‘WDA’ at 6 p.m. on the 11th across major music platforms. Ahead of the release, the lyrics appeared on some streaming sites, triggering a flood of responses.
‘WDA’ is a hip-hop–based dance track powered by a grand synth bass and a heavy hook. G-DRAGON contributed a feature and wrote his own rap parts, creating a fierce synergy with aespa.
However, many fans expressed disappointment that the lyrics are composed almost entirely in English from start to finish. Comments poured in such as “It’s all English,” “There seems to be barely any Korean,” and “It feels like it’s 90% English.” Some netizens even asked, “Are they really a Korean group?”
Despite the controversy, aespa’s ‘WDA’ is performing strongly worldwide. According to SM Entertainment on the 12th, ‘WDA’ entered the Top 10 of the iTunes Top Songs chart in 17 regions, including Thailand, Portugal, Vietnam, Singapore, Chile, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Oman, Ukraine, Cambodia, and Peru.
SM added, “Since debut, aespa has built a narrative where their virtual alter egos, ‘ae-aespa,’ form a core axis of the group’s universe, with real and digital selves coexisting. This project goes beyond simply using AI imagery and expands that long-running universe by connecting it to today’s technological environment.”
Meanwhile, aespa will release ‘LEMONADE’ at 1 p.m. on the 29th, a 10-track album that includes ‘WDA.’