Karina카리나카리나
Karina (카리나) is the leader of aespa, the four-member girl group under SM Entertainment. Introduced second, on 28 October 2020, she has released the solos 'UP' and 'GOOD STUFF' and the unit song 'Serenade' with Winter on the group's SYNK singles, and has been a brand ambassador for Converse, Prada and others since 2024.
Karina (카리나) is a member of aespa, the four-member girl group under SM Entertainment. The group debuted on 17 November 2020 with the single ‘Black Mamba’. SM Entertainment introduced the members one a day in the run-up to that debut, and Karina was the second, on 28 October 2020. According to CBS Nocut News, SM Entertainment presented her that day as a member with vocals, rap and dance alike. Newsis reported that at noon the same day the aespa YouTube channel posted the teaser ‘MY, KARINA’, in which Karina connects through a “SYNK” with her avatar in the virtual world, ae-KARINA.
aespa’s Japanese official site gives her birth date as 11 April 2000, and Kyunghyang Shinmun wrote on 13 June 2024 that Karina was born in Suwon. Reporting the press conference for the second full-length album, LEMONADE, on 28 May 2026, the same paper described her as the group’s leader. She is also listed under SM Entertainment’s project group GOT the beat.
Two solo songs carry Karina’s name, and both were performed in concert before landing on the group’s SYNK special digital singles. According to SM Entertainment’s newsroom, ‘UP’ was first performed at the second solo concert in June 2024 and released on SYNK : PARALLEL LINE on 9 October that year; Karina wrote its lyrics on her own, and it reached number one on the Melon daily chart published on 12 October. ‘GOOD STUFF’ came out of the third concert in August 2025 and was released on SYNK : aeXIS LINE on 17 November. MHN described it as a hip-hop dance track Karina co-wrote the lyrics for.
‘Serenade’, sung with Winter, is one of the group’s first two unit songs; it was first sung at the Tokyo Dome on 25-26 April 2026 and released on 9 August as SYNK : aeXIS LINE (2026). At the Gocheok Sky Dome shows of 7-8 August, Karina sang her solo ‘16 Bit’, which TenAsia described as opening with restrained movement to a weighty groove and gathering force as the song went on. Closing the shows, she said: “I hope these two days of shows become a precious memory for all of you. For us they already have, one we will never forget.”
Both solos have also gone to a festival. After 2025, Karina played Waterbomb Seoul 2026 on 25 July 2026 on her own, and according to Newsen she sang ‘GOOD STUFF’ and ‘UP’ among others. That set is covered in the Waterbomb Seoul 2026 story.
Speaking to NME in September 2025, shortly before the sixth mini album, Rich Man, came out, Karina explained the title track’s opening line and said: “I’m already a rich man because I trust and love myself.” Of its rock-inspired sound she added that it “makes your heart beat and it gives you that electric energy”, “especially when you’re even on stage, when you’re performing with a band”.
ELLE Korea published Karina’s four-cover September issue, shot with Prada, and its interview on 14 August 2026. Asked what being strong means, she answered: “I think it’s similar to having strong convictions. […] It means clearly knowing yourself and having a strong sense of self. That’s why I like being called strong.” Her answers on Lollapalooza and nerves on stage are in the ELLE interview story.
On television, the Netflix mystery show Agents of Mystery, released on 18 June 2024, was her first fixed variety role since debut. Her brand work began as a Converse brand ambassador in January 2024 and continued as an ambassador for Prada that August, MLB in May 2025, Chanel Beauty that November and MARK & LONA in April 2026, each with its source in the list below. The 2026 campaigns can be followed one by one in the stories on Converse, MLB, MARK & LONA and Gentle Monster.
To see Karina on stage first, the Waterbomb Seoul 2026 story brings both solos onto one stage; to hear the songs, go in release order from the 2024 single with ‘UP’ to the 2026 single with ‘Serenade’.
Karina's four-cover ELLE Korea September issue and interview, shot with Prada
She spoke about preparing for the Lollapalooza Chicago set, nerves on stage, the world tour and what being called strong means to her.
Feature · Read the storyUnit songs 'Serenade' and 'Lollipop' out on SYNK : aeXIS LINE
'Serenade' by Karina and Winter and 'Lollipop' by Giselle and Ningning came out at 6 p.m. KST.
Explainer · Read the storyConverse unveils the Run Star Crush with Karina as the campaign's face
Two colours, black and egret, at 149,000 won. On sale from 6 August on the official website and in selected stores.
Brief · Read the storyKarina sings her solo songs 'GOOD STUFF' and 'UP' on Waterbomb Seoul 2026's Green Team stage
The outdoor Global Stage at KINTEX in Goyang. Waterbomb's official channel posted the 'GOOD STUFF' performance; it was her second year in a row after 2025.
Explainer · Read the storyaespa's channel posts the behind-the-scenes video of Karina's Gentle Monster shoot
Footage from the Veggie Collection campaign shoot, posted on aespa's official YouTube channel.
Brief · Read the storyConverse releases the Chuck 70 X with Karina
A reworking of the Chuck 70, on sale in Converse stores and on its official online store. Karina fronts the campaign as global ambassador.
Brief · Read the storyaespa's channel posts the behind-the-scenes video of Karina's MARK & LONA shoot
Footage from the MARK & LONA campaign shoot, posted on aespa's official YouTube channel.
Feature · Read the storyBrand model for HK inno.N's Condition, in the campaign '챙기자 같이 놀 컨디션'
She appears in the campaign film with Jang Ki-ha, Car, the garden, Sul Woon-do and Yoo Byung-jae.
HK inno.N · Source 1Gentle Monster releases the 2026 Veggie Collection teaser with Karina
The video went up on the brand's official Instagram, and the pre-order opened four days later at 10 p.m. on 18 May.
Brief · Read the storyMLB unveils its 2026 summer campaign with Karina proposing the styling
The campaign 'KARINA's SUMMER, Turned Up With MLB' went out on the official online store and the brand's social channels.
Explainer · Read the storyKarina named MARK & LONA's brand ambassador at a Tokyo press conference
More than 70 local outlets gathered at Spiral Hall Aoyama in Minato, Tokyo. She is the brand's first female ambassador.
Feature · Read the storyMLB Karina Edition VOL.2 goes on sale and sells out
The second collaboration collection — a ball cap, a T-shirt and a hoodie — sold out after going on sale and was restocked on 13 March.
Explainer · Read the storyAttends Prada's autumn/winter 2026 show in Milan
She attended the Prada autumn/winter collection at Milan Fashion Week as brand ambassador.
Newsis · Source 2Named Chanel Beauty ambassador
Chanel Beauty announced the appointment on the 18th and released her first photoshoot as ambassador with it.
StarNews · Source 3Solo song 'GOOD STUFF' released on the special digital single SYNK : aeXIS LINE
The single carries the four members' solo songs from the third concert at KSPO Dome in Seoul in August 2025. Karina's is a hip-hop dance track she co-wrote the lyrics for.
MHN · Source 4MLB signs Karina as a brand ambassador
MLB, the clothing brand run by F&F, made Karina an ambassador, Newsis reported.
Explainer · Read the storySolo song 'UP' released on the special digital single SYNK : PARALLEL LINE
First performed at the second solo concert in June 2024; Karina wrote the lyrics on her own. It reached number one on the Melon daily chart published on 12 October.
SM Entertainment · Source 5Named Prada brand ambassador
Prada announced it on its official social media on the 28th (local time); SM Entertainment's newsroom relayed it the next day with Karina's own words.
SM Entertainment · Source 6Netflix releases 'Agents of Mystery', Karina's first fixed variety role
An adventure mystery show by the producer Jeong Jong-yeon, released by Netflix on 18 June. Sports Seoul's casting report of November 2023 called it her first fixed variety role since debut.
Netflix · Source 7SM Entertainment
aespa are a four-member SM Entertainment girl group: Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning. They debuted on 17 November 2020 with 'Black Mamba', and their second full-length album, LEMONADE, released on 29 May 2026, entered the Billboard 200 at number nine. The official fan club is MY.
Condition (HK inno.N) · brand model
Gentle Monster · campaign model, 2026 Veggie collection
MARK & LONA · brand ambassador, the brand's first female ambassador
Chanel Beauty · ambassador
MLB · brand ambassador
Sprite · model, second year running
Pascucci · the brand's first advertising model
Prada · brand ambassador
Musinsa Beauty · ambassador
Converse · brand ambassador, global ambassador from 2026
Karina of aespa became an ambassador for MLB, the clothing brand F&F runs, in 2025. The second collaboration collection arrived on 4 March 2026 and sold out, it was restocked on 13 March, and the 2026 summer campaign followed on 14 May.
Karina of aespa performed solo at Waterbomb Seoul 2026 on 25 July 2026, on the outdoor Global Stage at KINTEX in Goyang. She sang her solo songs 'GOOD STUFF' and 'UP' among others, Waterbomb's official channel posted the 'GOOD STUFF' set, and it was her second year in a row after 2025.
aespa's second full-length album LEMONADE entered the US Billboard 200 at number nine. Two weeks after release its cumulative album sales were counted at 1,037,190 copies, making it the group's eighth million-seller. Here is what the record is.
aespa played Lollapalooza in Chicago for the first time on 2 August 2026, with a set of 14 songs. Two days later the music video for 'Switchblade', a B-side from the second full-length album, was released. Here are the stage and the video together.
aespa played the opening shows of their fourth world tour at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on 7 and 8 August 2026. The two nights drew 35,000 people and the set ran to 27 songs. The tour visits 25 regions.
Karina of aespa's four-cover ELLE Korea September photoshoot and interview with Prada went online on 14 August 2026. She called the 2026 Lollapalooza Chicago set "a performance we prepared for with a lot of dedication", nervousness a precious emotion, and being called strong close to having strong convictions.
Karina of aespa has become a brand ambassador for the Japanese golf label MARK & LONA. The appointment was announced at a press conference in Tokyo on 27 April 2026, and the brand's press release calls her its first female ambassador. The PLAY ILLUSION campaign and five 'Karina looks' were shown at the same event.
aespa released a special digital single at 6 p.m. KST on 14 September 2026, collecting four solo songs first performed at Gocheok Sky Dome in August. Karina contributed lyrics; Giselle and Ningning participated in writing and composing their own songs.
Gentle Monster posted a teaser for its 2026 Veggie Collection on its official Instagram on 14 May 2026. Karina of aespa appears in it, and the pre-order opened at 10 p.m. on 18 May on the brand's website. The collection is ten folding eyewear styles, and the pop-ups run in eight locations.
aespa's Karina fronted two Converse launches in the summer of 2026 as the brand's global ambassador. The Chuck 70 X came out on 29 June and the Run Star Crush platform shoe on 6 August, and the British magazine Clash reported on 13 August that both are sold on the Converse online store and at retailers worldwide.
The reports behind the facts above, for the ones no story on the site covers yet. A row with a story cites its sources there; the act's own channel and a brand's official page are linked in the rows themselves.
Translated from the Korean original.
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