Top Girl Group Supposedly Pays Homage To NewJeans In New Music Video, Sparking Heated Reactions

aespa‘s latest release, “LEMONADE,” has sparked quite the buzz on social media after fans discovered what they claim are references to NewJeans in the music video.

aespa | @aespa_official/Instagram

aespa released a full music video for “LEMONADE” on May 29 (KST), featuring elaborate choreography. Fans were quick to note that two specific moves appeared to be quite obvious references to the HYBE girl group— one similar to the latter’s “Attention” choreography and the other being the same as their “Ditto” choreography.

dittonade – aejeans🍋🐰 pic.twitter.com/iN8CicQzyh

— eyin 𝜗𝜚˚⋆🍋 (@haeyinyian) May 29, 2026

AND THE ATTENTION MOVE TOO THEYRE TOKKIS DOWNN pic.twitter.com/b2TAMImCfR

— bree⁵ (@newbreedoyousee) May 29, 2026

The fact that both moves coincided with the lyrics “I got no ETA,” with “ETA” being yet another popular NewJeans song, has fans convinced that aespa intentionally gave a shoutout to the girl group in their new music video.

AM SEEING A NJZ REFERENCE WITH THE CHOREO HERE WHEN THEY SAY I GOT NO ETA ?? OMG pic.twitter.com/QcA9NZIyyM

— ningning pics 🪽 (@ning2pics) May 29, 2026

As the clips spread rapidly on social media, they triggered mixed responses across K-Pop fanbases. Most NewJeans fans were deeply moved by the supposed symbolic support shown by the SM girl group, despite their current troubled position.

i’ll forever be thankful to aespa for being one of the few groups to support newjeans in an industry who immediately dropped them at their first controversy https://t.co/MQeKshGk32

— L (@jeansgratis) May 29, 2026

this is very dear to me … https://t.co/zXENtL9FDr

— ill make u 🍋‍🟩 (@L0VELlNE) May 30, 2026

entire industry trying to forget newjeans existence while the biggest kpop group rn is referencing them. aespa has always been a real one 😭😭😭 https://t.co/gSgTsiEe4j

— . (@synkbone) May 29, 2026

However, many also complained that had these moves been done by a fellow HYBE girl group, especially ILLIT, they would have been accused of plagiarism. NewJeans fans countered this criticism, arguing that aespa and NewJeans have always had distinct musical identities, and that there was no context to involve the SM girl group in the conversation about plagiarism.

thats the exact same move illit got crucified for and called copycats over, but now that aespa did it, everyone's calling it “crumbs support reference and sisterhood” ?? you guys are such hypocrites i’m sick https://t.co/nUkJCbfzNP

— ً (@ayeongynh) May 29, 2026

If it were Illit y'all would've burned them alive by now https://t.co/VU17dZmRxq

— -Silvqi- (@Silvqi) May 30, 2026

If illit did ts they would get death threats https://t.co/0gFSOYUbuC

— basketball (@tysatoo) May 30, 2026

Well because aespa and newjeans have 2 very different concepts ☠️ https://t.co/MSSm0rNUAs pic.twitter.com/0f3ErM8hnl

— sevi 🍋‍🟩𝜗ৎ (@seviology) May 29, 2026

“so it’s okay when aespa does it?”

YES aespa didn’t take their 7 year plan and spend the last 2 years plagerizing newjeans whole brand https://t.co/GNEj6tpBSy

— riri ☆ (@tokkimys) May 29, 2026