aespa’s comeback rollout has become increasingly chaotic as backlash surrounding G-Dragon’s feature on their pre-release single “WDA (Whole Different Animal)” continues to spiral, and now, Karina is being dragged into the controversy as angry fans flood her Instagram with criticism.
aespa released “WDA” ahead of their second studio album, set to drop on May 29th. While the track already received mixed reactions from international listeners, the strongest backlash unexpectedly came from aespa’s own Korean fandom.
Much of the criticism has centered around G-Dragon’s feature verse. The rapper personally wrote his part for the song, including lines referencing “munchkins” and “conqueror’s haki,” but many Korean netizens slammed the lyrics as outdated, awkward and difficult to understand.
“The worst K-pop lyrics I’ve ever seen,” one Korean commenter wrote. “It’s 2026, not 2016,” another added.
여태 본 케이팝 가사 중에서 제일 ㅈ구림
저 무슨뜻인지 이해도 못하겟는 한글 한단어 영어 한단어 벌갈아 넣는
ㅈ같은 감성 언제 사라지냐
의미 ㅈ도 없는데 걍 가사를 쳐쓰지말자 https://t.co/Cs1y862GTI— 나이스한 돼새끼 (@NicePiggy00) May 11, 2026
시대 감각 못 읽는 거 개붐따
2016년 아니고 2026년이야 ,, https://t.co/UbcAhaWZaL— 밍이໒꒱⋆* (@minnming__) May 11, 2026
The backlash quickly escalated into a boycott among some Korean aespa fans. Fans began editing G-Dragon’s verse out of the song and circulating altered versions online while openly encouraging others not to stream the song.
WDA 지드래곤 ft. 파트 cut pic.twitter.com/qvCBD1CRpp
— 피플원 (@peacepIusone88) May 11, 2026
International fans criticized the boycott, arguing that sabotaging the song’s performance only hurts aespa during an important album rollout. Still, many noticed the apparent impact after “WDA” failed to chart higher than #63 on Melon’s main chart following release.
[DEBUT] aespa “WDA (Whole Different Animal) (feat. G-DRAGON)” 07PM KST Update:
#6 Bugs
#49 Genie
#63 MelOn— Kpop Charts (@kchartsmaster) May 11, 2026
The situation intensified further after Karina seemingly addressed the controversy through a Bubble message to fans.
“About WDA, I know you probably have mixed feelings, but I hope you’ll love it.”
The message immediately went viral, with some G-Dragon fans interpreting it as a subtle acknowledgment that even aespa’s members knew fans were unhappy about his involvement. Others accused Karina of being disrespectful toward a senior artist who contributed to the track.
The controversy exploded even further in China, where keywords related to “Karina disrespecting G-Dragon” reportedly climbed to #1 on Weibo’s trending chart.
The backlash is particularly significant given G-Dragon’s massive popularity in China. The BIGBANG member currently reportedly holds the highest Weibo follower count among K-pop idols and is known for having one of the largest Chinese fanbars in the K-pop industry.
Some reactions from G-Dragon fans quickly turned hostile, with critics claiming her wording made the rapper “look foolish” after participating in the collaboration. The backlash has since spilled over onto Karina’s Instagram account, where angry commenters are now targeting the idol directly.
Below are some of the comments left on Karina’s Instagram:
“Rude fans, and an even worse artist. Saying ‘mixed feelings’? That’s incredibly thoughtless. Where’s the respect for a fellow artist? So disappointing.”
“aespa were the ones who asked G-Dragon for the feature, so why is he the one getting hate and personal attacks?”
“Using the phrase ‘mixed feelings’ is completely disrespectful toward a senior artist. Apologize.”
“Probably have mixed feelings? Mixed feelings about what?”
“Doesn’t seem like someone who’ll have a long career. Be careful with your words and actions.”
“When you use wording like ‘mixed feelings,’ what does that make the person who featured on the song?”
“You can’t even thank the person who helped you with your work, and instead this is what you say…”
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