aespa Winter’s Latest Visuals Spark Widespread Concern Among Fans
aespa’s Winter is facing concern from fans after her recent “WDA” performance on MBC’s Music Core. Many viewers noticed she looked significantly thinner and appeared unwell.
The SM Entertainment girl group is currently promoting “WDA” ahead of their second studio album LEMONADE. Winter’s appearance sparked debate online, with some fans worried about her health.
The controversy began when a viral post on Pann questioned Winter’s condition:
Is Winter sick or something..?
She looks like she’s lost the most weight I’ve ever seen on her.
— Viral post on Pann
Fans quickly reacted with mixed opinions. Some pointed out that Winter’s makeup for the “WDA” promotions intentionally created a dark, haggard look. Her styling includes heavy under-eye shading mimicking dark circles and minimal lip color, fitting the song’s concept.
Others highlighted aespa’s grueling schedule as a real concern. Reports say Winter’s pre-recording run for Music Core and other music shows included slots at 12 AM, 7 AM, 5 AM, and 2 AM, leaving little time for rest.
As the situation unfolded, fans shared detailed observations:
“This time around, Winter’s makeup in particular looks way more haggard than usual — they’re darkening under her eyes to make it look like dark circles, and sometimes she’s barely wearing any lip color…. Winter already has that fragile, world-weary vibe, so maybe they’re trying to play it up to the max. I didn’t like it at first either, but watching her individual fancam, it actually seems to suit the song’s concept… When you see her in normal makeup or bare-faced, she hasn’t lost weight at all. She looks exactly the same as before.”
“She’s pretty.”
“If you watch the video, it’s because of the makeup, and her selfies look the same as always. What’s with screenshotting her at her most unwell-looking and making a thing of it?”
“She was already slim to begin with, but it seems like she’s gotten super skinny from dieting more during the promotion period, plus all the schedules. That said, the makeup itself intentionally goes for a gaunt look as part of the concept — it’s music video makeup — and the lighting makes it look even more hollow. Watching the actual video, she doesn’t look that bad. She’ll probably put the weight back on once promotions wrap up.”
“Part of it is the makeup making her look that way, but watching her exit at the end, she stumbled a little while walking and looked completely drained as she left. She looked like she was struggling from a lack of sleep. She probably didn’t sleep at all for four days because of the pre-recordings. Winter even had to stay the whole time at Music Bank without being able to leave early. aespa’s pre-recording schedule is brutal — M Countdown pre-rec at 12 am, Music Bank pre-rec at 7 am, Inkigayo pre-rec at 5 am, Music Core pre-rec at 2 am.”
Fans expect Winter to recover once the intense promotional cycle ends. For now, the mix of makeup effects and a demanding schedule explains her gaunt appearance during recent performances.
Watch Winter’s “WDA” performance on Music Core