Aespa’s Unexpected “Cheap” Presents Discarded in Large Numbers by Upset Fans
aespa is facing controversy over their “reverse fan support” gifts at the MBC Gayo Daejejeon pre-recording.
The group gave fans food gift bags as thanks for coming early, since aespa won’t attend the live broadcast—they’ll be performing in Japan on New Year’s Eve instead.
The problem? Fans say the gift bags contained ssambap, a simple Korean meal of rice and side dishes wrapped in lettuce or perilla leaves. Many feel this was a cheap, inappropriate gift for such a big event.
This fan caught the moment and quickly shared:
에스파 가요대제전 역조공
쌈밥? 물 핫팩
— 카츠 (@karinyaaang) December 28, 2025
Some fans criticized the gift, saying:
They make a f*ckton of money and this is all they give? LMAO
— @o4onhn on X
The backlash grew after photos appeared online showing entire trash cans filled with untouched gift bags. Some fans saw it as silent protest. Others blamed the poor quality of the gifts.
One fan explained why the gifts were tossed:
Why are people blaming the fangirls for [throwing it away]? They should’ve made it so people would want to eat it. We pay money to follow them around, do we have to force ourselves to eat their food too?
— @nittongkkooo on X
The comparisons made things worse. Other groups like ILLIT, BLACKPINK, LE SSERAFIM, and NewJeans reportedly offer way more elaborate and generous gifts at similar events — full meals, desserts, photo cards, makeup, and more.
— @o4onhn on X
One fan roasted aespa hard:
aespa make so much money and
this is all they give? LMAO
Look at ILLIT, they gave fried chicken, rice, stuffed tofu, dessert, stickers, photo cards, water, hot packs, and they even gave a makeup tint too.
What are these guys even doing?
— @h2uaisl3v on X
Another put it bluntly:
LMAO even NCT, who are seniors from the SM Entertainment too, do this every time, so what the hell are these b*tches doing?
— @o4onhn on X
The backlash shows no sign of fading as fans debate the sincerity and quality of aespa’s fan gifts.
| @aespa_official
| @aespa_official
| @aespa_official
에스파 가요대제전 역조공
쌈밥? 물 핫팩 pic.twitter.com/lCkF7dLqEu
— 카츠 (@karinyaaang) December 28, 2025
돈도 존나 벌어놓고 겨우? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ https://t.co/FhOAvzP71U
— 니엄마 (@o4onhn) December 28, 2025
이걸 왜 빠순히 탓하노 먹기 싫지 않게 하셨어야지 돈내고 따라다니는데 억지로 먹기 까지 해야해? https://t.co/KeRBpHza69
— ໊ (@nittongkkooo) December 28, 2025
블랙핑크 르세라핌 뉴진스 역조공 https://t.co/FhOAvzP71U pic.twitter.com/61s3phwK15
— 니엄마 (@o4onhn) December 28, 2025
ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 같은 에셈 선배인 엔시티도 매번 이렇게 해주는데 이년들은 뭐임? https://t.co/FhOAvzP71U pic.twitter.com/11IckwgnQS
— 니엄마 (@o4onhn) December 28, 2025
에스파 돈 많이벌었으면서
꼴랑 이거주냐? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 아일릿봐라 닭강정에서 밥에 유부초밥 디저트 스티커 포카 물 핫팩 그 외에도 틴트도 주던데
얘네 뭐하냐? https://t.co/HYjSRc6kMX— 민정고릴라 (@h2uaisl3v) December 28, 2025