aespa are closing out 2025 on the road, launching their third major tour instead of hitting Korea’s year-end music award shows.
Earlier this year, the quartet wrapped their second world tour, SYNK : PARALLEL LINE, which spanned Asia, North America and Europe, solidifying their global standing. Now they’re keeping the momentum going with a new arena run, with stops in Japan and Thailand among the highlights.
But reactions to aespa’s latest musical direction remain divided. Their recently released tracks “Dirty Work” and “Rich Man,” along with experimental performances on international stages, have sparked both praise and skepticism from fans and critics alike.
That debate intensified after their recent appearance on U.S. morning flagship Good Morning America. Viewers accused the group of lip-syncing, while some found the pared-down stage—just the four members, without backup dancers—underwhelming. While constraints of live TV and scheduling may have played a part, questions around aespa’s consistency in commanding the stage linger. The group previously faced similar criticism after university festival appearances that relied on lip-syncing.
Even so, aespa’s loyal fandom remains strong, and the group continues to maintain a global presence on the charts. One industry insider framed the moment as pivotal: “This is a turning point and a test for aespa. It’s positive that they’re not settling into their old concept and are pushing new ideas, but they now need to strike the balance between performance quality, public appeal and their evolving musical identity.”
Skipping domestic award shows this winter, aespa will instead be fully focused on the tour. They kicked things off in Seoul at Olympic Park’s KSPO Dome from September 29th–31st under the banner 2025 aespa LIVE TOUR – SYNK: aeXIS LINE. From there, the trek continues October 4th in Fukuoka, followed by Tokyo, Aichi, Bangkok’s Impact Arena and beyond. In total, they’ll perform 15 shows, each in arenas of 10,000 seats or more, carrying their global push through year’s end.
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