THIS SM 'Surprise Rookie' Who Appeared in aespa's Concert Becomes Hot Topic: 'We Need Her Debut Now'

Following aespa's concert in Seoul, the "Surprise Rookie" from SM Entertainment is gaining attention from K-pop enthusiasts.

Earlier on June 29 and 30, aespa kicked off its "2024 aespa LIVE TOUR – SYNK: PARALLEL LINE in Seoul" and met their Korean fans.

This concert, as the subtitle suggests, is a concept inspired by aespa's new worldview expanded into a multiverse, and will be decorated with a performance like a drama drawn by the four members.

Starting with this Seoul concert, aespa will continue their world tour to 14 regions in total in Asia and Australia, including Fukuoka, Nagoya, Saitama, Singapore, and Osaka in July; Hong Kong, Taipei, Tokyo, Jakarta, and Sydney in August; and Melbourne, Macau, and Bangkok in September, and will expand the tour to the Americas and Europe early next year.

During the event in Seoul then, not only MYs (fandom) but also celebrities including SM Entertainment artists supported the quartet. In fact, the upcoming SM new girl group members were also present at the venue, attracting massive attention.

However, among these trainees, there is a so-called "surprise rookie" who was given the chance to stand next to aespa on the same stage prior to her debut — causing jaw-dropping moments for spectators!

ALSO READ: SM Entertainment Debut, Comeback Lineup (Q3, 2024): Irene, Chanyeol, Naevis, More!

The rookie who appeared was none other than the virtual artist, nævis!

In particular, also known as naevis, she is a virtual character who plays a supporting role in aespa's worldview. At the end of the concert, the virtual idol made its appearance on the large screen, drawing rave reviews such as:

"I had goosebumps."

"It's shocking."

"Who's the girl next to aespa?"

Indeed, naevis stole the spotlight by singing and dancing on a large screen whose motions and voices are both created using artificial intelligence (AI). Previously, She featured in aespa's third regular album, "Welcome To My World."

On July 8, the K-media Herald Economy then highlighted naevis' impact, stating:

"There is interest in whether nævis, who is in a supporting role, will be able to surpass the artists in the future. SM Entertainment has even included nævis’ name in the lineup of solo artists to be released in the third quarter of this year."

While she is not a real person, naevis became a significant entity among K-pop fans after her appearance in aespa's hit song, "Savage," with the signature line, "My naevis, we love you."

Due to her kind image, stunning visuals and generosity to aespa, K-pop fandoms started seeing her as a virtual goddess and since then anticipated her solo debut.

Thanks to naevis, the initial negative views of the virtual artist also changed, starting a trend in the music scene. After SM, major entertainment agencies also started debuting virtual idols such as HYBE, who recently launched SYNDI8 under its subsidiary, Supertone.

There is also a popular virtual girl group called MAVE: and a boy group PLAVE which are both raising the status of such idol groups in the music world.

READ MORE: 11+ Confusing Terms Related to aespa You Need to Know: 'SYNK,' 'KWANGYA,' 'POS'

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Written by Eunice Dela Cruz