KARINA is aespa’s leader and a singer, rapper and dancer. Born Yu Ji-min, she debuted with the group in November 2020. Her work spans the tightly coordinated group performances of aespa and projects that give her a separate musical identity.

She joined GOT the beat alongside WINTER in 2022. Her solo catalog includes “UP” from the 2024 SYNK: PARALLEL LINE project and “16 Bit,” officially released on September 14, 2026, through SYNK : COMPLaeXITY. KARINA participated in the lyrics for “16 Bit,” extending her solo work beyond performance into songwriting.

When watching aespa’s early videos, follow how her rap passages and movement connect different sections of the performance. The group videos below provide that shared context; her Instagram is linked separately from aespa’s official group accounts.