New K-pop girl group Aespa drop first single ‘Black Mamba’ with futuristic music video

A new K-pop act has arrived, and they’re already one of the biggest names in the game.

Aespa, the new four-member girl group from South Korean entertainment powerhouse SM Entertainment, dropped their first single Black Mamba today, arriving on the scene with its dramatic, futuristic music video.

Made up of members Karina, Giselle, NingNing and Winter, along with their virtual “ae” counterpart members ae-Karina, ae-Giselle, ae-NingNing and ae-Winter, Aespa is SM’s first new female team since the 2014 launch of Red Velvet.

In the music video for Black Mamba, Aespa’s members are seen performing a high-energy electropop tune that resonates with pulsating beats and wailing synths. Fantastical, neon-lit scenes of intense, floor-dropping choreography are interspersed with moments that highlight each member exploring this new reality and engaging with the ae-members, and hinting to a villain known as the titular Black Mamba.

Through the song lyrics, the members of Aespa seem reflective about their identity, and introduce the connection between themselves and the “ae” members, who the song implies wander in a place known as Kwangya. The word appears to be derived from the Korean term for “wilderness”, and has previously appeared in content related to K-pop boy band NCT, also under SM.

Ahead of the release, Aespa’s name and various related hashtags trended not only on South Korean media and music platforms such as Naver and Melon but also worldwide on Twitter.

Through Aespa, SM is set to launch its culture universe, known as the “SMCU”, recalling the “MCU” Marvel Cinematic Universe. SM and Marvel recently collaborated to turn boy band SuperM into superheroes.

It is not yet known how the SMCU storyline will permeate throughout SM Entertainments’ upcoming releases, though all the artists currently on SM’s roster are said to be taking part in the storytelling experience. Singer BoA, considered one of the early icons of K-pop and SM, appears at the end of the Black Mamba video. She is gearing up to release a 20th-anniversary album next month.

Creative storytelling and fictitious universes have become a mainstay in K-pop in recent years, with SM’s boy band Exo notably having a sci-fi-style origin story that saw members of the act arrive on Earth from outer space. The storyline has reappeared on occasion over the years since Exo’s debut in 2011.

Aespa’s arrival comes after a series of high-profile debates across social media regarding their concept and the visual elements associated with them.

As a hybrid human and virtual girl group, there were initially many questions about the potential dehumanisation of the members of Aespa. Though many of the concerns still remain, SM Entertainment has reportedly stated that it will use legal means to protect not only the images of the real members of Aespa but also the virtual images of their “ae” counterparts, which are inspired by each of the human women.

For more great K-pop stories, artist profiles and the latest news, visit our K-pop hub