aespa Karina became the talk of the town after her "no makeup" photo circulated online. Here's what fans are saying.

On August 26, netizens were sent into a frenzy when Karina, who usually flaunts her AI-like visuals, appeared with her only her bare face. 

In the photo, it is noticeable that Karina only has minimal cosmetics used like lipstick and light foundation with no colored lenses, bringing back the "no makeup" makeup look trend. 

This quickly gained attention since the idol is known for her full, aegyo-sal makeup that emphasizes her AI-like beauty. 

When the picture was uploaded online, the "Supernova" singer became a hot topic among K-Netz. They began citing the difference when she wears makeup and when she does not. 

• "It's just that her pupils are small, so the only difference is the lenses. Her stage makeup is so thick and the lenses are big as well, so of course it looks different when she has light makeup or a bare face, but she's still pretty."
• "Her stage makeup is strong that she appears cold but the light makeup looks innocent, so it's better."
• "Makeup is makeup, but the difference in contact lenses seems to be big."

According to fans, they prefer her wearing zero or minimal makeup, since it makes her natural beauty stand out. Contrary to her strong, girl-crush image, Karina without makeup transforms into a gentle, innocent lady.

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Here are some of the comments:

• "She looks cuter than the usual Karina."
• "Karina's light makeup gives off a gentle vibe, so I guess that's why it feels that way."
• "I always like light makeup (for her)."
• "She's really pretty. That's her face without makeup."
• Wow, personally, she looks much prettier with a bare face."
• "Without her contact lenses, she was just a totally innocent person."

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Meanwhile, aespa Karina continues to maintain her strong influence and popularity after ranking No. 1 in idol individual brand reputation for August 2024. 

According to Koo Chang Hwan, director of the Korean Business Research Institute:

"In August 2024, aespa Karina's ranked first in the Idol Individual Brand Reputation Rankings. The brand showed high link analysis with words including, "transformed, challenged, and lovely," while "Supernova," "My Art Film," and "Ambassador" were high in keyword analysis. In the positive-negative ratio analysis, the positive ratio of big data was 91.70%."

READ MORE: aespa Karina's Visuals & Professionalism Stand Out During First Pitch for Lotte Giants

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Written by Eunice Dela Cruz