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REVIEW 'Rich Man,' real power: aespa's 3-day Seoul spectacle makes big statement
From left are members of K-pop girl group aespa: Ningning, Winter, Giselle and Karina. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
By Pyo Kyung-min
When the four members of K-pop powerhouse aespa descended from gleaming metallic orbs in blood-red leather Sunday night, they didn't just look like pop stars — they looked like warriors materializing from another dimension.
It was a theatrical entrance that set the tone for "SYNK : aeXIS LINE," the group's third concert series and one of the beloved SM quartet's most ambitious productions yet.
Across three sold-out nights from Friday through Sunday at Seoul Olympic Park's KSPO Dome, 30,000 fans packed the arena to witness aespa's new spectacle. Anticipation buzzed outside on the final night as fans filmed themselves in the moment, all while clutching the band's newly unveiled official light stick glowing in shades of magenta and cyan.
Even before the first note, the staging spoke volumes upon initial entrance. Curved LED walls wrapped the arena in ethereal light, the stage rose and fell like a living machine, and curtains cascaded to reset the atmosphere between acts. Even the camerawork became part of the drama, zooming in so tightly that the audience gasped at every glint of sweat and flick of eyeliner.
K-pop girl group aespa performs onstage during "SYNK : aeXIS LINE," the group's third concert series at KSPO Dome, Songpa District, Seoul, Sunday. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
Sunday's set unfolded across 26 songs, including the world premiere of "Rich Man," the title track of the group's upcoming mini-album due Friday.
After an explosive opening run of "Armageddon," edgy fan favorite "Set the Tone" and "Drift," another teaser for the new record, the solo stages arrived early, each landing like a showcase reel.
Karina leaned into schoolgirl chic in glasses and a yellow name tag, for the ribcage-rattling hip-hop track "Good Stuff." Ningning unveiled "Ketchup and Lemonade," channeling icy, mysterious vocals that contrast its summery title.
Giselle drew from her love of the sea on "Tornado," a breezy track laced with Afro rhythms. Winter went full rockstar, gripping a standing mic for "BLUE" as her live vocals cut through the dome's echo-heavy acoustics.
While the solo stages sometimes exposed differences in polish, they also showed how carefully SM is sculpting each member's identity — and how ready aespa is for individual spotlights.
Member of K-pop girl group aespa, from left, Ningning, Winter, Giselle and Karina, perform onstage during "SYNK : aeXIS LINE," the group's third concert series at the KSPO Dome, in Songpa District, Seoul, Sunday. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
After the solo stages, aespa reunited to turn KSPO Dome into a pressure cooker. Their most recent release, "Dirty Work," reimagined with live band grit, thundered across the floor, eliciting audible wows from the audience.
Then came "Rich Man," the night's centerpiece and statement song. Driven by jagged guitar riffs and metallic beats, and staged against LED pyramids of cash, its message was impossible to miss: "I am the rich man."
In an industry where girl groups are too often cast in roles of romance or fantasy, aespa's declaration of self-made power landed with jarring clarity. The quartet wasn't just flexing; they were reframing power and rebellion through the lens of a girl group stepping into its prime, leaving the entire dome hungry for the album to come.
After the daring statement, the band only added to the heat with chart-toppers like "Next Level," "Supernova," "Whiplash," "Girls" and "Drama," each detonating into full-arena singalongs.
Some 30,000 fans packed Seoul's KSPO Dome across three sold-out nights for "SYNK : aeXIS LINE," aespa's third concert series. Courtesy of SM Entertainment
The encore then shifted gears, softening the metallic punch with touches of intimacy. "Forever," "Live My Life" and the fan-dedicated "To the Girls" closed the run with warmth, sending the audience home with the sense that the idols behind the visuals were still within reach.
Even the guest list underscored the significance of the moment. From Girls' Generation's Taeyeon to Red Velvet's Irene and Seulgi, Hyeri, BIBI, i-dle's Miyeon and FIFTY FIFTY's Keena, industry heavyweights came out to watch.
With a world tour launching in October, aespa will take "SYNK : aeXIS LINE" beyond Seoul, hitting Fukuoka, Tokyo, Aichi and Osaka in Japan; along with stops in Bangkok, Hong Kong, Macau and Jakarta into next year.
K-pop girl group aespa performs onstage during "SYNK : aeXIS LINE," the group's third concert series at KSPO Dome, Songpa District, Seoul, Sunday. Courtesy of SM Entertainment