Member Karina of the group aespa got caught up in a bizarre incident. Recently, an incident occurred in a clothing store in Malaysia where a life-size cutout of Karina was stolen, shocking and worrying fans.
The CCTV footage that spread through online communities and social media captured a man dressed in a black hoodie loitering in front of the store, then entering the store and fleeing with Karina's cutout. Immediately after the incident, store employees hurriedly chased after him, but he had already vanished.
As the incident spread, fans reacted with concern, saying, "Was Karina's popularity at this level even overseas?", "You can't tell if it's fan enthusiasm or a crime," and "It's both scary and unfortunate." Some fans expressed disappointment about the excessive attention towards Karina, saying, "I hope if it's not a theft, it would just end as a prank."
As the controversy grew, the MLB Malaysia store where the incident occurred also released a statement through its official social media. The brand acknowledged, "We confirmed that Karina's cutout was unlawfully taken" and expressed regret, stating, "The display is an asset shared with customers." An internal investigation is currently underway, and related measures are said to be under review.
This bizarre incident is garnering more attention as it corresponds with aespa's recent activities. aespa proved their global popularity by winning the 'Best Song Asia' category with the hit song 'Supernova' at the 'MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025' held recently in Kyoto, Japan. Since their debut in Japan in 2024, they have also successfully held a solo performance at Tokyo Dome, receiving a warm response locally.
On the 24th to 25th, they are scheduled to hold their first Japanese fan meeting 'aespa JAPAN FANMEETING 2025 – To MY WORLD' at the Pier Arena MM, so local fans' reactions to this incident are even more intense.
Fans are adding their worries for the members, saying, "While I'm proud of their global popularity, this kind of incident is frightening," and "aespa members need to be well taken care of."
[OSEN]