SM Entertainment Draws Scrutiny for aespa’s Low-Budget Stage at 2021 Mnet Asia Music Awards (MAMAs)

On December 11, the Mnet Asian Music Awards 2021 (MAMAs) were held, and aespa was one of the artists performing. While many were excited about the group's performance, their lackluster stage design earned criticism. Keep on reading for all the details.

SM Entertainment Draws Criticism for aespa's Lackluster Stage at 2021 Mnet Asia Music Awards (MAMAs)

The MAMAs is an event that gathers the most famous names in the K-pop industry. The K-pop fan community is not only anxiously awaiting the recipients of the awards but is also excited for the stages of the K-pop groups and stars.

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One of the highlights of MAMA 2021 is "monster rookies" aespa — the SM Entertainment girl group that debuted in November 2020 and saw mainstream success in early 2021. Many highly anticipated the group's performance at the awards ceremony, but their stage ultimately received mixed opinions.

aespa performed two songs, "Next Level" and "Savage." The members themselves received praise for their performance. Ningning and Winter were applauded for flawlessly performing their high notes, and Karina and Giselles were praised for their rapping. As a group, aespa was promised from their synchronized, professional dance moves. The girls were also commended for their charisma and visuals.

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Although aespa performed well, the stage itself received mixed reviews from viewers. MAMA is considered one of the biggest events in the Asian music market. With a stage of the magnitude, it is expected that the performances of the idol groups are luxurious and grand. However, aespa's stage featured no props and was simple and empty. SM Entertainment only provided aespa's video backdrop to perform with.

As aespa is only four members, many believed SM Entertainment should have invested in backup dancers to make the stage appear less empty and grand. Overall, people compared the composition of the stage to that of a music show performance.

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The members' outfits also drew criticism. While many liked Winter's top, her layered ruffled shorts did not resonate with viewers. People also liked Ningning's dress but were not fond of her socks. Many wondered why her skirt had "excess" fabric peeking at the side for Giselle. Karina's outfit drew criticism due to the different colored gloves.

During the performance, aespa's AI characters (known as ae), Black Mamba and Naevis made an appearance. While many were happy to see the cinematic side of aespa, people also criticized SM Entertainment for taking the spotlight away from the four members. Some even said that Black Mamba's presence was more majestic than aespa's and that even though Naevis only appeared for a few seconds, her impact was too significant.

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Some of the comments concerning aespa's stage include, "Why is aespa's stage so empty? This is not 'Music Bank,'" "aespa deserves more from SM. How dare they leave the stage empty at a big awards ceremony?" and "What kind of outfit is that? What is the point of adding all these ridiculous accessories."

aespa's Awards at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMAs)

The 2021 MAMAs took place on December 11, 2021, at the CJ ENM Contents World in Paju, South Korea. During the event, aespa scored some trophies. The girl group "Best Dance Performance - Female Group" with "Next Level." They were up against ITZY's "Mafia in the Morning," Oh My Girl's "Dun Dun Dance," Red Velvet's "Queendom," STAYC's "ASAP" and TWICE's "Alcohol-Free."

aespa also won "Best New Female Artist." They won against Jo Yuri, Kwon Eunbi, LIGHTSUM and STAYC.

ALSO READ: Here are the Winners at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA)

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Written by Alexa Lewis