aespa’s Winter unexpectedly stole the spotlight at the 2025 Billboard Women in Music event—not with a performance, but with a candid and charming hot mic moment that quickly went viral among fans.

aespa attended the Billboard Women in Music ceremony held at the YouTube Theater in Los Angeles, where the group was honored with the "Group of the Year" award. But beyond the red carpet and the stage, it was a short, behind-the-scenes moment that caught the internet’s attention.

During a backstage transition, as the livestream audio briefly shifted, Winter’s voice was picked up through a live microphone that had accidentally remained on. In Korean, she could be heard softly humming and saying, “Hmm hmm… it smells so good in here… hmm hmm… hehe,” in a lighthearted, sing-song tone.

Fans instantly recognized her voice and began sharing the clip across social media, calling it “peak Winter behavior” and “the cutest unintentional moment ever.” Comments like “Even her sniffing food is adorable” and “She’s just like us for real” poured in, proving once again that Winter’s natural charm is irresistible—even when she’s off-stage.

Later that night, Winter addressed the moment through a fan messaging platform. Clearly flustered, she wrote, “Ha... I’m embarrassed… I can’t believe the mic was on…” and added, “I’m going to hide for a bit and then come back.” She jokingly told fans, “While I’m gone, go ahead and tease me all you want. I’ll be back."

Despite the surprise, Winter and the rest of aespa handled the event with poise, delivering a heartfelt acceptance speech and celebrating a major milestone in their global career. And thanks to one small hot mic mishap, fans got a bonus moment to treasure—complete with Winter’s unfiltered sweetness.

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