aespa’s Karina is drawing attention not only for her doll-like visuals in a new magazine shoot, but also for her thoughtful explanation of why being described as “strong” means so much to her.
Karina appears on the September cover of ELLE Korea, with the pictorial built around the concept of showing different sides of her through changing styles.
Some photos highlight her bright smile and playful charm, while others show a more elegant and intense image that has led fans to praise her distinctive visuals.
Alongside the photoshoot, Karina reflected on aespa’s recent appearance at 2026 Lollapalooza Chicago, where the group performed at the festival for the first time.
She said, “It was a stage we prepared for really seriously. Since it had been a while since we performed at a festival, all of the members practiced until late because everyone wanted to do their best.”
Karina explained that the group also chose songs they had not performed as often in hopes of creating a more exciting set for the audience.
Despite appearing confident on stage, Karina revealed that she actually experiences more nervousness than people may expect.
“I think nervousness is also one of the valuable emotions humans can feel,” she said. “When I’m nervous, I actually make fewer mistakes.”
She continued, “It comes from thoughts like, ‘What if I make a mistake?’ or ‘What if I don’t meet expectations?’ So I don’t think going on stage while feeling nervous is necessarily a bad thing.”
aespa is currently preparing to continue its world tour, 2026-27 aespa LIVE TOUR – SYNK : COMPLæXITY –, which will bring the group to 25 regions across North America, South America, Europe, and other locations.
Karina shared that one of her favorite parts of touring is experiencing each city outside the concert venue.
“I usually go outside the hotel because I want to personally experience the city where we’re touring,” she said. “Just as ‘tour’ can also mean ‘travel,’ I always look forward to visiting places and having experiences I probably wouldn’t have had if I weren’t doing this job.”
When asked what being “strong” means to her, Karina gave a clear answer that reflected her personal values.
“I think it’s similar to having conviction,” she explained. “Having conviction means that your own standards and values aren’t easily shaken. It means clearly knowing yourself and having a firm core inside.”
Karina then added, “That’s why I like being told that I’m strong.”
Her answer offered a glimpse into the mindset behind the confident image she often shows on stage, revealing that for Karina, strength is less about appearing fearless and more about knowing who you are and holding firmly to your own values.
