aespa's Winter, Like Her Name, Feels Like Snow White Who Doesn't Mind the Heat

Winter, a member of the K-pop girl group aespa, has shared her candid thoughts regarding the psychological pressure lying behind her glamorous stage performances and global activities, as well as her attitude of trying to make her own choices and move forward despite it.

For an idol operating under the intense scrutiny of the public and a dense schedule, her remarks have drawn attention because she views 'freedom' not merely as a matter of having spare time or being free from physical constraints, but as a matter of self-determination.

Fashion magazine Cosmopolitan released its October issue cover and pictorial featuring Winter. During this shoot, which took place amidst aespa's busy schedule traveling between Korea and the United States, Winter showcased her signature sophisticated image by modeling autumn/winter season fashion even though the heat had not yet completely subsided.

During the shoot, Winter maintained a relatively calm attitude regarding her hectic schedule. “Since I don't feel the heat much, today's shoot wasn't too difficult,” she said, adding, “I am adjusting to being busy with many schedules.”

Regarding her ideal way of working, she confessed, “If I could do only one thing a year, that would be best, but since I am handling multiple projects simultaneously, I am focusing on managing my physical strength.” This part of her statement reflects the realistic hardships faced by pop culture stars who must balance numerous contents, performances, pictorials, and broadcasts.

In particular, Winter emphasized that despite her busy schedule, she is proactive in expressing her opinions on things she wants to do. “If there is something I want to do, I make sure to voice my opinion,” she said. “I try not to miss even the small things.”

This is a matter different from simple schedule management. While the activities of top-tier idols are completed through the collaboration of many stakeholders—including agencies, production teams, choreographers, and stylists—the extent to which an individual artist's intentions and tastes are reflected directly relates to their identity. The 'small things' Winter mentioned can be interpreted as her determination not to lose her agency over her own activities.

Her attitude toward new challenges also clearly demonstrates her personality. Surprisingly, Winter confessed, “I am actually very fearful.” She explained that fear often precedes her when attempting something new.

She wittily described the thought process occurring in her head: “‘I'm so scared of something new,’ ‘No, everyone else is doing it!’, ‘You have to do it, Minjeong!’, ‘Why are you the only one so scared!’”

This suggests that Winter, who appears on stage with intense performances and confident presence, actually goes through significant contemplation and anxiety before a new attempt. It is not that she challenges things because she lacks fear, but rather that she takes a step forward even after recognizing that fear.

Winter revealed that looking back on her past activities, she realized she had taken on more challenges than she thought. “One day, looking back at what I have done, I realized I was doing more new things than others,” she said with a laugh. She added, “Originally, I have a lot of fear and worry when I take on challenges.”

The solo stage she prepared for this world tour is also connected to this tendency. Winter recalled that in her previous concert solo stages, she had revealed new songs about three times, and they had followed a 'song-dance-song' sequence. She explained that this time, she judged it was naturally time to bring the dance to the forefront.

The song she chose was even more unexpected. “I really wanted to dance,” Winter said. “None of the people at the company picked this song as the first priority, but I became so captivated by it that I ended up doing it.” The fact that it was a genre she had never attempted before was also a background for her choice.

In particular, she explained that this solo stage is also linked to the concept of the pictorial. It is a “Western-mood dance song.” This reflects her will to directly select and implement a genre and style that attracts her on stage, rather than staying within an image she is already familiar with.

Winter's definition of 'freedom' becomes even clearer at this point. When asked if she currently feels free, she replied, “I think it depends on how you think about it.”

“If I think I am feeling pressure, I feel infinitely oppressed, but if I think I can do it, I feel infinitely free,” she explained.

The profession of an idol inherently involves numerous rules and constraints. Schedules are designed over long periods, stages and music are completed within various production systems, and one cannot be completely free from public evaluation and image management. Especially for a group like aespa, which targets the global market beyond Korea, the responsibility and burden required of an individual inevitably increase as the scale of activities grows.

Nevertheless, Winter did not define her situation with the single word 'oppression.' Instead, she acknowledged the professional uniqueness she enjoys and found possibilities for choice within it. “Due to the nature of the job, I get to enjoy many things that others cannot,” she said. “Rather than a longing to be free, I don't want to lose my current mindset of 'I can do anything.'”

This is closer to an attitude of recognizing the possibility of one's own choices within a given environment, rather than viewing freedom as a state where all external constraints have completely disappeared. For stars with high activity levels who find it difficult to escape the public eye, it means recognizing the reality that they cannot do everything as they wish, while ensuring they secure areas where they can make their own decisions.

This attitude of Winter is also connected to the process of aespa's growth. Since their debut, aespa has expanded its influence domestically and internationally through a unique worldview, intense performances, and genre experimentation. As the point where how each member's character and capability expand within the group's musical identity becomes important, Winter is also moving from being a member who simply performs given stages to a stage where she more proactively reveals her own choices and colors.

Winter's mindset of 'even if it's scary, I must do it' is also one facet of this change. The process of choosing a new genre, preparing a different performance, and pushing through her opinions inevitably brings uncertainty. However, instead of trying to eliminate fear itself, she chose to act while carrying that fear.

Following the release of their 2nd full album 'LEMONADE' last May, aespa is conducting a new world tour 'SYNK : COMPLæXITY', starting with performances at the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul in August and touring 25 regions. In the process of expanding their scope as global artists beyond top-tier domestic girl groups, Winter's new solo stage is expected to show how far it can expand, just as she said, 'the moment I think I can do it.'