Following hot off the tails of their debut single, “Black Mamba,” rookie girl group aespa has returned with a new single, “Forever.”  What makes this single special is that it’s a remake of veteran singer-songwriter Yoo Young Jin’s 2000 hit single. 

In their rendition of “Forever,” aespa adds a winter feel to the acoustic R&B ballad. “Forever” is a comforting, yet refreshing winter track from the rookie girl group. With only a single out for their debut, there wasn’t much opportunity to see what else the girl group has to offer. However, aespa impresses with superb vocals that are very reminiscent of their seniors, CSJH The Grace. “Forever” gives the opportunity for aespa to flex their vocal prowess and enchants listeners the more the song goes on. Each member also gets her fair share of time to showcase her vocal abilities and no member gets lost in the song. “Forever” is a song about unconditional love and giving one’s heart fully to a special person. Whether it be romantic or platonic love, “Forever” is a song of reassurance and warmth as this song serves as a reminder that one will always be there through thick and thin. 

The music video is set in a winter wonderland of snowy dreams within a snowglobe. The girl group is the centerpiece of the snowglobe itself with a light snowfall that adds to the magical feeling this song gives off. There is a soft and cozy feeling throughout the video that makes it feel as if a warm blanket is being draped over the viewer’s shoulders. While there is no deep story to “Forever,” it does a great job of making it winter-themed without getting Christmas-y or holiday-themed. There is also emphasis on some minimal choreography with hand and arm movements seen throughout the music video. While the choreography is not big or dynamic, it adds to the softness that this song provides. Another point to take note of in the music video is that viewers get the chance to see the AI versions of aespa looking at their human versions from outside the snowglobe. It raises the question of what is the bigger story of aespa and what kind of reality is happening between the human versions and the AI. 

Altogether, aespa delivers a solid second single with their remake of “Forever”; however, there is still much left to be uncovered with this girl group as to how exactly their AI counterparts will play a role in their future releases.