aespa has been named the latest “military favorite,” topping a survey conducted by Kookbang Ilbo (The Ministry of National Defense Newspaper) asking soldiers which stars they would most like to see perform on a concert tour to entertain soldiers.

The survey was conducted from April 4th to 17th, targeting 309 soldiers. Among all respondents, 18.1% selected aespa.

One soldier, Private Kim, shared, “When times were tough and exhausting, thinking of Karina from aespa helped me push through. It made me want to protect my country even more for her.”

Energetic music proved to be a key source of motivation in military life. Private Baek said, “After work hours, watching aespa’s music videos during personal maintenance time helped me heal.”

fromis_9 followed closely behind with 16.2%, ranking second. Sergeant Bae commented, “During marches, I would think of their songs to complete the trek. They are a real source of energy.”

Other popular choices included IU at 6.5%, IVE at 6.1%, and NMIXX at 4.9%. Respondents noted, “Their lyrics gave me courage,” and “Their songs helped me endure.”

Meanwhile, Kookbang Ilbo’s Military Chart is a defense content initiative created together with soldiers, engaging them every month with interesting and relatable topics.

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