The release of "fourth-gen representative" girl group aespa's pre-released b-side track, "Welcome to My World," on May 2, sparked intense debates among fans and netizens about the group's standing as an A-list group.

aespa Captivates Fans with 'Welcome to My World' Pre-Released Track

A wave of excitement swept through fans as the much-anticipated comeback of aespa grew closer with the release of their pre-released b-side track, "Welcome to My World." The song became available on various music platforms, while the official music video debuted on SMTOWN's YouTube channel.

"Welcome to My World" features an alternative pop genre, blending dreamy guitar riffs with grand orchestration. The music video tells the story of naevis, a helper in aespa's unique world, who is invited into the real world after defeating the villain, black Mamba. This narrative can also be seen as an invitation for MYs (fandom) and listeners to enter aespa's world through their distinctive musical storytelling.

aespa is set to make an official comeback on May 8 with their third mini-album, "MY WORLD," which will include five additional songs. Track video versions for "Salty & Sweet" and "I'm Unhappy" were previously released.

Debate Over aespa's A-List Status Emerges Following 'Welcome to My World' Chart Performance

Following the release of "Welcome to My World," fans and netizens have been closely monitoring aespa's performance, as the group is known as "fourth-gen leaders" with three consecutive hits: "Black Mamba," "Next Level," and "Savage."

However, disappointment set in as the song failed to maintain a position in MelOn Top 100, one of Korea's top streaming charts, and did not reach 10 million YouTube views upon its release. This led to online discussions questioning aespa's status as an A-list group.

One netizen commented, "Now, they can't even compare with NewJeans, IVE, and LE SSERAFIM." This sparked a heated debate, with some agreeing:

"Even if you categorize it as a pre-release, IVE and NewJeans' pre-release ate all the charts."

"When I first came across aespa, I thought they looked really good, but after IVE and NewJeans came out, it felt like they are not standing out anymore."

"Eh? aespa had a comeback?"

However, many fans, particularly MYs, defended aespa:

"Yes, I'm sorry, but among fourth-generation, aespa is the first group to enter Tokyo Dome."

"You're the only ones who insist that aespa is not in the first division when they got the daesang (grand prize) and have a mega-hit song, oh if you're jealous, say you're jealous."

"It's a pre-release track and it's going to go up slowly, just wait."

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