aespa “Betray” NewJeans With Unexpected Social Media Move

aespa are at the center of a heated online debate after a TikTok posted by Winter set off a wave of reactions across social media.

The SM Entertainment group is currently promoting their pre-release single “WDA” on music shows, and their schedule happened to overlap with ILLIT‘s promotions for “It’s Me.”

When idol groups promote at the same time, filming TikTok challenges together is pretty standard practice. Winter did exactly that, posting a video filmed with ILLIT’s Iroha.

@aespa_official

#WDA w/ #IROHA @ILLIT #aespa #WINTER #aespaWDA

♬ WDA (Whole Different Animal) (feat. G-DRAGON) – aespa

Normally, that would not be a big deal. But given aespa’s well-known friendship with NewJeans, fans had a lot of feelings about it.

The issue stems from the ongoing feud between HYBE‘s two girl groups. NewJeans and ILLIT have been tied to the very public fallout between former ADOR CEO Min Hee Jin and BeLift Lab, making the two groups’ fandoms especially hostile toward each other.

@mtvuk

aespa and NewJeans together??? Oh my life is complete 😍✨ #aespa #newjeans #hybe #armageddon #mtvceleb #karina #giselle #minji #haerin

♬ original sound – hannidoesedits

So when aespa, who have been closely associated with NewJeans, showed up in a TikTok with ILLIT, people noticed.

?

— BLACKMAMBA (@THEOGBLACKMAMBA) May 17, 2026

They say Tokkis are feeling betrayed right now. pic.twitter.com/iNo7IBZolm

— Aespann_jeans (@a1071364) May 17, 2026

aespa is the most opportunist group I’ve ever seen. No convictions just saying what benefits them and going where the wind blows

— sheff 🇺🇦 (@marshmaIIowjin) May 17, 2026

oh minji your best friend betrayed you how does it feel 😞😞

— slowfi (@ot2njs) May 17, 2026

Whether aespa had any of that in mind while filming a routine TikTok challenge is another question entirely. But in the current climate surrounding both groups, even something this small was never going to go unnoticed.