Idol Deep Dive: Karina (aespa)

It's time to take a deep dive into the mind of one of K-Pop's most beloved idols, who is definitely NOT an otaku (she is).
I know a lot of you guys found me from my NewJeans videos, but I like a lot of K-Pop groups! I’ll come back to NewJeans soon enough- maybe one of these types of videos for them in the future! 😉
Let me know what you guys think of this video format please! :)
Giselle Deep Dive: • Idol Deep Dive: Gisell... 🌙
Winter Deep Dive: • Idol Deep Dive: Winter... ⭐
I'm hoping to eventually do one for Ningning too! 🦋
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Twitter/X: / benatmos
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Timestamps:
0:00 - Intro & Overview
1:03 - Beginnings
2:34 - Pigeons and... Manga?
3:19 - Becoming a Singer
5:01 - The Mindset
6:19 - Persisting Through
7:28 - Outro
Interviews used:
Vogue - vogue.sg/aespa-vogue-singapor...
NME - www.nme.com/features/music-in...
Video Interviews:
Eunchae Star Diary - • [ENG/JP] 광야의 힐러(!)로 영입...
Lee Youngji's 'Nothing Much Prepared' - • [SUB] 존재 자체가 인류의 밸런스 붕...
Zach Sang Show - • aespa Talks New Album ...
Choi HwaJung's Power Time - • [ENG] 201209 aespa on ...
✨MY time, aespa!✨- • 1교시 자기소개📓 KARINA & WIN...

[@Bob_Dylan_KFP]

You didn't mention how goofy she is as well, which makes her even more likable imo, the contrast between her cool self and her goofy humor is incredible ! Great video !

[@cantstopme9999]

Despite being familiar with Karina and aespa for 3 years, I clicked this and tbh this was an accurate and heartwarming deep dive. Karina really has this breathtaking and effortless energy around her but I'm super glad that you stressed that she did put a lot of effort into who she is today. She is one of my ults, and I hope that she knows just how much of an impact she has on people's lives, simply by her existence. Thank you for this and I'll be tuning in for more deep dives!💙

[@benatmos]

Thank you so much! It means a lot to hear you enjoyed 🙏

[@gahye0nie]

There's something else that you mentioned in passing that I wanted go deeper on: her care for others. I had a long discussion with this with friends a while back about how the leader position isn't just a cosmetic one (who talks the most during interviews/starts the song/etc.). The group members tend to follow their leader in how they act, too. Not necessarily in terms that they all start acting the same, but they adopt traits or the mindset their leader does. Like when you look at Red Velvet, Irene is very quiet but she is also very assertive, and when you look at the rest of red velvet their energies are all this sort of powerful quietness around others but loud and chaotic together. With kpop idols, I think many of them go into it because they want to be singers or dancers or just to entertain, but Karina is someone who I feel became an idol purely because she wants to be a capital I *Idol.* As in, not just singing and dancing or entertaining but *making people genuinely happy.* She's the sort of person who gives love as if giving love is her sustenance. She recognizes fans at fansigns and recalls details about them, which is remarkable for an SM idol who probably encounters hundreds of fans in a comeback cycle. When she encounters fans in the wild she doesn't mind talking to them and taking time out of her day to make the moment special for them. And it extends to their staff. Every person who's worked with Karina even briefly has talked about how kind she is to them. And getting back to a leader reflecting on their members, if you've watched enough of aespas content from beginning to recent, you can tell how much of an influence karinas worldview is on them. They've all more and more embraced sillier and more lighthearted sides of themselves, they play around a lot more. They're also humble to a fault and when they're baited in interviews to boast at the expense of other idols they don't even give it the time of day, instead either focusing on how they can improve or by lifting up other idols instead of putting them down. I don't think any of aespa are bad people per se but I do think Karina has made then better people. When you watch the members at an award show or some event that maybe isn't the most interesting, Karina will do something in an attempt to make the members laugh, maybe she'll crack a random joke or do some kind of weird little motion, and the members usually smile or joke along with her and it clearly gives them a little boost they need to get through their schedule. Hell, at one award show she even started encouraging other idols to get up and dance to the performances onstage. She keeps the morale and energy up for those around her, which in the 4th gen era of constantly needing to be doing something, of needing to be bigger and better than before requires someone who can make people feel a little less exhausted at the end of the work day. Of all the idols to get big I feel like Karina is the most important, not in that she's the best singer who's ever lived or best dancer but in her immense heart.

[@clarisinschallah5106]

She's the moment! Being the most powerful popular beloved in aespa didn't change her ! I wish sm can appreciate her more and to not forget she's so mistreated. She doesn't want attention she wants respect i love her ❤

[@danlim9510]

thanks, she is really a very responsible leader, mature and considerate. Although she gets a lot of h*** for probably just breathing, but she is totally amazing. Humble, talented, down to earth, beautiful, cute, humorous, caring, sweet, hardworking, goofy, filial too... (list gets too long but yk what i mean if u stan her)

[@kalmtraveler]

Glad you put this together. I had the opportunity to attend a couple fansign events with Aespa last year in Seoul and have to say she seems to be exactly what you said - always trying to raise up everyone around her. Funny story - she asked me what I liked about Korea and we ended up talking about food so while doing the fansign thing she wrote her suggested favorite samgyeopsal restaurant.

[@jadepinnock]

ahhh so lucky!!!

[@ngangommomo3047]

Aespa MMA 2023 performance was so 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@pelantaruz]

I love many idols, but Karina is the Ultimate Visual, its imposiblle no look at her per hours❤

[@dessu8967]

Good video! Really like the format. Karina is definitely a cool idol to know more about. Even though 4th gen girl group leaders do get a lot of attention, they frequently get misrepresented or misunderstood by fans and haters alike, so it's good to deep dive and just look at them based on their background, their words and their actions; rather than what others say about them. Would really love a deep dive for ITZY Yeji and NMIXX Haewon please!

[@vodaaid2902]

Never in my life was I mesmerized by a person so much. I have huge respect towards her. She's so hard working, lovable and talented❤ (and goofy)😂 I really like this content. Looking forward for more👌

[@yangqi]

my favorite part of karina is how goofy she is, she really knows how to have fun with anyone :( even before she debuted, she was loved by everyone who knew her because she herself truly loved everyone she knew. i really aspire to be like her one day, a kind soul who loves spreading happiness to everyone around her like the happy virus she is :(

[@jashan_jj]

That's why she's the best girlfriend in the world

[@RudeMekanicals]

Watching the way Karina held herself and interacted with other idols at the 2023 year end shows made me realize that, although she always had the qualities of a great leader, her time spent with Tayeon in GOT The Beat has elevated those qualities, and truly made her the Leader of 4th gen!

[@soulhunter8567]

These Deep Dive videos are just next lvl content! Please make more of these!

[@rax888]

I swear these vids mad underrated

im not a k-pop fan. i am a rock music lover, but this woman is really special. how can a woman be beautiful, cute, talented, goofy and sexy at the same time? Unbelievable

[@TristanLoh4200]

Speaking of rock music, you can opt for dreamcatcher, a kpop rock/metal girl group cuz some of their songs really have heavy rock vibes

@@TristanLoh4200 karina is enough for me from this country :D thanks

[@aintnootherfan]

Your videos are absolutely delightful! Karina is my aespa bias so this was very interesting to me, especially since for the most part I know super little about the more personal side of kpop idols. So what a beautiful video to get to know her better! Please keep up the great work, I wish you so much success! And this absolutely is a brilliant idea for the series!😁

[@mariamsafwat896]

Thank you for this video! Karina has been my favourite since I've started stanning aespa, and i have just grown to love and admire her so much recently (she's now my ult along with Bang Chan hahaha). She's so effortlessly gorgeous, kind, super talented, and seems to have really high EQ. She's also goofy and down to earth like you can just see yourself being besties with her 😂 I just adore her so much and hope she gets even more opportunities ❤

[@ewtio7227]

This is such an amazing idea, great video!

[@yordankavo]

Great, great video. Thank you! Keep going! 👍

[@socialllinks]

Really great video!!! One of my favorite movies is the cat returns, so that was cool to learn! The quality of these videos never let up, awesome work as usual!

[@mystical001]

i love this format please keep making more like this!!

[@helloitisi7367]

She definitely look after her members like a mom and want to raise them. The one ningning clip where ningning dances and karina moves away from the camera so that the focus is on ningning alone💙

[@kwon7901]

Just found this series, good stuff ; found yourself new subs o7 keep it up

[@minarisan4777]

Can you do a video about giselle aespa if you don't mind to. She is really underrated

[@briarpatchlogic]

This approach is great...more people need to be educated about idols being real people. Not just your doll to f with.

[@larafelias7739]

Thanks for it... But can you do it with Winter and Ningning too ❤❤❤

[@ChromeTCB]

I've seen all your deep dives already and I need one on Soyeon from I-DLE♥♥♥♥

[@phil20_20]

Like a Boss

[@ullyifa7330]

❤❤❤❤

[@limarchenko96]

Please make deep dive on Winter

[@phil20_20]

Nice profile 👍👍

[@user-dj6ey6pz5v]

day1 of asking for eunchae

[@BFFBesties-el9qg]

Omg, we need one!

[@BFFBesties-el9qg]

Day 1: You should do an idol deep dive on Wonyoung

[@eunjiKim-fc1iv]

Her name is Yoo jimin not Yu jimin 😅 because the correct spelling is Yoo not Yu

[@dojoyooji]

well Karina said her surname is YU not yoo.

[@eunjiKim-fc1iv]

@@dojoyooji it’s pronouns as ‘Yu’ but the correct spelling is ‘Yoo’ 😅 you might get confused but Korean surnames are like this just example ‘Lim’ pronouns as ‘im’ and same with ‘Lee’ pronouns as ‘ee’

[@rowlet6192]

​@@eunjiKim-fc1iv Karina actually said it herself that her surname is spelled as Yu and not Yoo

[@eunjiKim-fc1iv]

@@rowlet6192 gurl my surname is “Kim” but mostly pronounced as “Gim” so don’t get confused with it because “Yoo” actually sounds as “Yu” in Korean

[@diveamelia]

I dont think Aespa/Karina is the 4th gen leader(s)