The 8 seconds were enough to set everyone off.
Koreaboo
6 minutes ago
aespa have dropped a short preview for their upcoming title track “Lemonade,” and the reaction has been far from warm.
| @aespa_official/X (formerly known as Twitter)
The 8-second clip is barely anything, just a brief beat preview with no lines from the members, but that was more than enough to set netizens off.
aespa drops preview for upcoming title track, ‘LEMONADE.’ pic.twitter.com/xISCES6Y6m
— Kpop Charts (@kchartsmaster) May 18, 2026
The backlash centers on one thing: the song appears to lean into an EDM-driven sound, the same sound that many aespa fans were loudly criticizing HYBE artists for recently.
Lmao so they are making the exact thing their fans were hating on Hybe groups…..I am crying now watch them gag at this 😭 https://t.co/NUkzuo6XvC
— Roséannechae¹ is celebrating 🥂 (@chaewonzpet) May 18, 2026
mys accused everyone of trying to reheat brat nachos only for aespa to come out and do exactly that
pic.twitter.com/q4Q16Sgfiv https://t.co/WLGpwOrJ1K
— sadie (@isatadano) May 18, 2026
Aespa stans ridiculed hybe groups for their new sounds only for aespa to hop on the train pic.twitter.com/BYvS4ejxyd
— zeri (@zeri_ego) May 18, 2026
Netizens were quick to call out the hypocrisy. Some pointed out that MYs had mocked HYBE groups for going the EDM route, only for aespa to seemingly do the same. Others brought up past comments where fans dismissed that sound as trendy and disposable.
but i thought EDM was tired and fast fashion? https://t.co/i26Aj0z9Ct
— belu (@chaewonmatic) May 18, 2026
Their fan tried to hate hybe artists for obsessed for making EDM music but what’s their favorite now? Oh my god what’s this?
— Narun Jah (@bababujah88687) May 18, 2026
With only an 8-second beat teaser out, fans still have time to hope the full track delivers something different. But first impressions are rough.