aespa Under Fire After Laughing at Their Own Throwback Video at MMA 2025

A seemingly innocent moment for K-pop group aespa at the 2025 Melon Music Awards has spiraled into controversy, as Korean netizens criticize the members for laughing at a throwback clip of themselves, reigniting accusations of plastic surgery.

The incident occurred on December 20 during the star-studded awards ceremony in Seoul, where aespa took home three trophies. While watching a highlight reel of past award winners, a clip of aespa winning 'Record of the Year' back in 2021 was shown, featuring the members in their signature “Savage” era styling.

Following the event, fan-shot footage of the members' reactions began circulating online. A clip on TikTok, which quickly went viral with over 800,000 views, showed members Giselle and Winter laughing hysterically as the 2021 video played on the big screen.

While many international fans found the reaction amusing and “unserious,” the reception among Korean netizens was far more critical. One post on X (formerly Twitter) lambasting the members' behavior exploded, gaining over 4 million views and 11,000 likes.

“There they go doing this shit again at an official event lmao,” the user wrote, alluding to a previous incident.

The comment refers to the ASEA awards in May 2025, where aespa faced heavy criticism for bursting into uncontrollable laughter after leader Karina mispronounced their group's name. Critics suggest a pattern of unprofessional behavior at formal events.

However, many comments zeroed in on another reason for their laughter: their changed appearances. Netizens quickly speculated that the members were laughing at how different they looked four years ago.

“It’s because their faces look different from now,” one user on X claimed. Another bluntly wrote, “Because it’s from before plastic surgery.”

This isn't a new debate. Just last month, the group's visual transformation since their debut became a hot topic among international fans, with some accusing the members of undergoing excessive procedures, while fans defended the changes as a result of aging and evolving makeup styles.

PRISM Insight: This controversy highlights a significant cultural gap in perception. What many global fans interpret as a relatable, candid moment is viewed through a much stricter lens in the domestic Korean market, where idol behavior at “official” events is held to a higher standard. The laughter became a trigger, instantly connecting to pre-existing, sensitive narratives around plastic surgery and professionalism, showing how an idol's past and present are in constant, public dialogue.