aespa’s 2026-27 aespa LIVE YOUR - SYNK - COMPLæXITY Gave Washington, D.C. A Whiplash

Photos: Richie Downs - Capital One Arena

Circling back after three years, aespa has returned to Washington, D.C. for their tenth stop on their tour, 2026-27 aespa LIVE TOUR - SYNK - COMPLæXITY. The tour has 25 stops, so when it was announced that the girls would make their long-awaited return to Washington, D.C., every DMV MY was buzzing with anticipation. 

The anticipation before a concert begins is one of the best feelings. You sit there, talking with friends, collecting freebies, or connecting your lightstick to the venue. As you scan the arena, you can see the attire of MYs. Many wore different concepts, from outfits inspired by the group’s “Dirty Work” release to neon green for their new album LEMONADE - The 2nd Album. I will say, the two Loraxes sitting near the stage definitely stood out. As fans waited for the members to come out, the arena sang along to their B-sides and title tracks playing over the speakers. With each song, the excitement was palpable, and as the concert neared, everyone sat on the edges of their seats. The moment the lights dimmed, every MY was on their feet, cheering at the top of their lungs. The bass from the introductory VCR was loud and rattled the venue, and as each member's name and character appeared on the screen, the cheers grew louder and louder. The VCR ended, and as you looked through the crowd of fans, you noticed a sea of pinkish-purple and ocean-blue lights shimmering. It was a beautiful sight that captured aespa's bright essence. To start the concert, the music video for the girls' lovely B-side “Welcome To MY World” started playing. Hearing the entire arena sing along showed everyone's love for the aespa members. Fans were excited for the girls to come out, and once the music video ended, it was the moment we’d all been waiting for. 

The moment the girls walked out, the arena erupted in cheers, louder than any we'd heard before. The show started with their striking track “LEMONADE.” From their recent album, LEMONADE - The 2nd Album, it's a high-energy EDM track with an addictive chorus and choreography, and it was an exciting way to start the show. Rocking a mix of black-and-white fits and thick black boots, the girls commanded the stage. Each outfit matched the song's personality. The crowd sang along with the members, and you could feel the fans' energy throughout. 

The next song was also from their recent release: B-side “Switchblade (feat. Ty Dolla $ign).” The track is bass-heavy and hip-hop-driven, with a house instrumental that rattles every listener's chest. The track was high-energy, and that energy carried into the next track, “Whiplash.” The track blends hip-hop and house instrumental elements and really hones in on the vogue scene. “Whiplash” is a track many MYs and fans from other fandoms love to listen to, and it had fans dancing in their seats. From there, we moved to their iconic debut track “Black Mamba.” The crowd erupted into excited cheers the moment the electrifying beat started. This track was a staple for aespa, and as soon as the song began, attendees could hear the enthusiasm throughout the venue. They ended the first round of songs with their newest track, “WDA (Whole Different Animal) (feat. G-DRAGON).” Many were anticipating hearing this track. Before the concert began, people talked about which songs they really wanted to see, and when “WDA (Whole Different Animal) (feat. G-DRAGON)” started, the entire arena was ready to sing along. Hearing fans sing the chorus, “She’s a whole different animal, different animal,” or specific parts like, “Oh, now you wanna hear me, huh?” and the iconic, “Do somethin’ do somethin’ talk, loud, do somethin',” was such an entertaining moment in the show and really stood out. 

After that first wave of songs, the girls rushed backstage for a quick outfit change. While fans waited in the arena and tried to catch their breath, a VCR started to play.  The VCR caught every attendee's attention with its eerie yet bright visuals. It started by explaining what the æ is in their respective languages (Korean, Japanese, and Chinese). The video then jumped to a scene that had us all pondering. Offering a “Backrooms” feeling, the video showed the members in dark, empty spaces. The video was recorded with a camcorder, creating an unsettling vibe. Leaving us with so many questions, the VCR ended, signaling the girls' return. Taking the stage in all-white outfits (a mix of dresses, shorts and tops, and skirts), the girls left the audience in awe of their beauty. The bright white shone under the stage lights, making the girls look like angels. Our eyes gravitated to the left side of the stage, where member KARINA played a skillful piano intro to their beautiful ballad “Count On Me.” Hearing MYs sing along to the breathtaking ballad and watching the lightsticks wave in the air created a stunning moment. The girls performed a string of songs that brought smiles to every fan's face. Their tracks “Camouflage” and “Angel #48” had every fan screaming at the top of their lungs, ready to dance along with the members, and with the girls' interactions with fans, everyone was having fun. 

During this time, we finally got our first ment of the night. The girls started introducing themselves, and the entire arena cheered with excitement. The girls really wanted to make sure we were having fun, so they asked us to cheer as loud as we could, just to make sure everyone was enjoying themselves. They talked about how it’s been three years since they have been in the DMV, and how excited they were to be back. They also talked about how much they missed us, and we showed just how much we missed them in return. 

The next two songs that were performed were their upbeat tracks “Can’t Help Myself” and “KISS N TELL.” The eruption of cheers when these two songs played showed everyone how anticipated they were. “Can’t Help Myself” is a rock track that commanded the room, and “KISS N TELL” is a Japanese track that brought every fan to their feet. Many were shocked to hear a Japanese track being performed during an American stop, and it was something that K-Pop fans have begged for.

After another VCR that went in depth on aespa’s lore, the next moment of the show was when we got to see some sub-unit and solo work from the girls. Since the girls have released new solo and sub-unit tracks, fans were excited to see their stages, and the girls did not disappoint. Before the next song began, we saw a VCR of the æ aespa members that introduced us to who would be hitting the stage next. As the members hit the stage, the arena erupted in cheers. The first sub-unit featured members GISELLE and NINGNING. Their song “Lollipop” started, and fans were back on their feet, ready to take in the members' vocals. Wearing matching purple-and-gray outfits, the girls took the stage and commanded every viewer's attention. The track had an R&B instrumental, and the girls' soft vocals matched the song's laid-back vibe. 

The next VCR brought the next soloist onstage: member and leader KARINA. Her track was “16 bit,” an R&B track that showcased KARINA’s strong vocals. Rocking a white button-up and black tie, her outfit matched the song's more laid-back vibe. During the second verse of KARINA’s solo stage, the R&B track shifted into an EDM track with a bass that rattled your body. The next VCR introduced our next soloist, WINTER, and her track “Saddle Up.” Rocking a cheetah-print outfit, her stage attire matched the early-2000s vibe the track was going for. With a more sensual vibe, the track was a hard-hitting song with an early 2000s sound that shows a different side to WINTER. Next up was our next soloist, GISELLE. Really channeling that early-2000s sound, GISELLE’s solo “BYEB4HELLO” was an alternative, electric pop track that had fans on their feet, singing and dancing along. 

Next, the VCR showed our soloist NINGNING. Her track “I Love You But I Gotta Let You Go” was a breathtaking ballad that showcased NINGNING’s strong vocals. Her gorgeous all-white dress glistened in the light and, paired with her stunning vocals, made this performance even more emotional. Singing angelic falsettos, her voice carried through the arena and filled MYs’ hearts. The next VCR showed the characters for members KARINA and WINTER. Their track “Serenade” is a bass-driven funk track that showcased not only the girls' vocals but also their lyrical flow. It was a great conclusion to the solo and duet stages, and had fans ready for the next set of songs. 

After a VCR, the girls returned to the stage to an excited crowd, kicking off with their well-known track “Armageddon.” This version of “Armageddon” was different: a striking rock take that had the entire arena gleeful. The girls kept the hype momentum going with their next track, “Bite.” The entire arena sang along word for word and kept up with the members’ fast-paced flow. When the girls left the stage, aespa's backup dancers took over with a dance performance. Remixing the girls’ songs “Dirty Work” and “Dark Arts,” the dance performance was a striking interlude in the concert, with the entire arena cheering them on. Once the girls made their way back to the stage, they performed an EDM remix of their hit track “Next Level.” The energy was kept as they moved to their next track, “SHAKIN”; the choreography for this track was hard-hitting, with each member and backup dancer using their entire body to demonstrate. To end this segment of songs, the girls performed their well-known track “Supernova.” It was an unforgettable moment in the song that had the entire arena believing they were a part of the group.

The next segment brought a smile to many fans’ faces at concerts. It’s always fun to dance along at home to your fave’s music, but when it’s time to dance along with them at the concert, it changes everything. As the girls’ iconic tracks played on the screen, the camera scanned the venue and landed on a lucky fan to dance along with the girls. It was fun to see fans so excited to dance along on the big screen. The last VCR showed behind-the-scenes footage from the tour. Playing alongside their track “Roll,” it was a fun video that had MYs laughing and smiling from ear to ear. The girls came back out rocking their concert merch before they took the stage with their bass-thumping track “YEPPI YEPPI.” 

During the girls’ final ment, they explained how they truly enjoyed themselves. They said they were happy to be back after three years and couldn’t wait to return. After a picture with MYs, the girls moved to their final song, “Til We Die.” This beautiful song wrapped MYs in a warm hug and was the perfect way to end the show. aespa put on an amazing show for MYs. After the concert ended, the people around me sounded fulfilled. They were super happy, and that is how a concert is supposed to make you feel, and aespa did a great job making sure fans left with a smile on their faces.