What are your thoughts?
Koreaboo
Recently, a petition to ban the girl group aespa from performing on Japan’s Kohaku blew up on real-time trends online.
aespaの紅白出場停止を求めます。
オンライン署名にご協力ください。https://t.co/P8zc8XBQaN pic.twitter.com/00wt0hcBCz— DEATHDOL NOTE (@DEATHDOL_NOTE) November 17, 2025
We demand the suspension of aespa’s appearance on Kohaku. Please cooperate with the online petition.
The petition was created due to a member purchasing an atomic bomb model light that recreated a moment when many Hiroshima and Nagasaki citizens were killed. She displayed it in her room and even posted, “I bought a cute light, what do you think?” Japanese netizens felt that this behavior trivialized a historical tragedy.
aespa’s Ningning Triggers Mixed Reactions With Controversial Object In Her Room
They emphasized that, in an issue as sensitive as this, allowing them to perform on the traditional Japanese stage could be seen as condoning such behavior.
K-Netizens were appalled at the petition and felt it was better that they don’t perform on the show.
- “Just because it’s Japan, it doesn’t mean there aren’t any trolls. It’s the same everywhere. aespa has a lot of Japanese fans, so it probably doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if they go on Kohaku or not. They’re going to perform at the Tokyo Dome and Kyocera Dome for the first time; it doesn’t matter if trolls fight.”
- “I’m always like, so what, when I see people like that. The show isn’t as famous as it was ten years ago, and it’s not as great as it used to be. I’d rather they not appear on the show if they’re going to be treated that way. They’re successful in Japan and already popular in Korea.”
- “That’s only a blow to those who don’t have a fandom big enough to fill the Tokyo Dome. aespa is a fourth-gen group with a really strong fandom, so who cares.”
- “If you study history a little bit, you would know why an atomic bomb hit them, and why the 20,000 people making a fuss here are assholes.
- “Ok, whatever. The fans are the ones spending money anyway, so it doesn’t matter if the Japanese politicians make a fuss or not.”