K-Pop Group

aespa

SM Entertainment·South Korea

Karina
Giselle
Winter
Ningning

Cultiq Score

Complete brand profile

Fandom Size

1.5%vs last 12 months

aespa is a K-Pop Group from South Korea formed in 2020 under SM Entertainment. With 4 million global fans, aespa ranks as a Rising-tier fandom in Cultiq's index.

Audience Snapshot

25%

Core

Core25%

Casual47%

Trend28%

Primary age band18–24 · 45%

Female 63%37% Male

8.1% engagement rate

Demographics

Primary Age

18–24

dominates

13–17Discovery19%

18–24Peak Fandom45%

25–34Rising Power25%

35–44Established7%

45+Loyalist4%

Dominant SegmentPeak Fandom · 45%

Spend-Readiness61/100 · Moderate-High

TrajectoryAging Up ↗

Earning-capable audience

Category Unlock

Beauty & CosmeticsMobile GamingStreetwearSnacksFast FashionTech & DevicesEntertainmentBeveragesLuxury FashionTravel & HospitalityLifestyleFitness & Sports

Cultiq Age-Value Model · segment mapping → earning-weighted spend-readiness → trajectory → category thresholds

Gender Skew

63%

Female

Female63%

Male37%

Skew ClassificationStrong Female Skew

Decision-Maker SignalHigh-intent personal-care buyers

Over-Indexes On

Beauty & CosmeticsSkincareFragranceJewelryLuxury FashionLifestyleWellness & Healthcare

Cultiq Gender-Commercial Lens · skew band → category index → decision-maker weighting (gender × age)

Top Markets

Top 5 Global · % of 4M fandom

🇯🇵Japan↗ Rising14.5%

🇨🇳China↗ Rising11.2%

🇰🇷South Korea→ Stable10.5%

🇮🇩Indonesia↗ Rising9.1%

🇹🇭Thailand↗ Rising8.4%

GCC

🇸🇦Saudi Arabia

0.78% · 31KRising

🇦🇪UAE

0.65% · 26KRising

🇰🇼Kuwait

0.22% · 9KEmerging

Europe

🇫🇷France

2.3% · 92KStable

🇬🇧UK

2.1% · 84KStable

🇩🇪Germany

1.6% · 64KStable

Americas

🇺🇸USA

5.2% · 208KStable

🇧🇷Brazil

4.1% · 164KRising

🇲🇽Mexico

3.8% · 152KRising

All percentages = share of the 4M total global fandom — so % × 4reconciles to each market's fan count.

Rising — established core, acceleratingEmerging — fast-growing frontier, lower baseStable— mature, steady & consistent

Fandom Scale

Fandom Size

8.6M

Active Global Fandom

+1.5% vs last 12 months

Tracked global fandom

Fandom Growth · Last 12 Months

Fandom (M)

10M8M5M3M0M

May 25Aug 25Nov 25Apr 26May 26

The Full Album PeakThe Tokyo Dome PeakBest Female GroupSYNK: aeXIS Line W…

Modeled monthly trend — endpoints anchored to the computed total (8.5M → 8.6M), shape from tracked momentum signals.

Scale Context

+1.5% / yr

Growth — in line with genre norm

Steady

Trajectory direction

+0.1M fans

Net added in 12 months

A large, fast-growing fandom — next, how it behaves commercially.

How fandom size is calculated

Following counts can't simply be summed — the same fan follows on multiple platforms. Cultiq's Fandom Size Model de-duplicates reach, then filters for genuine activity. The same formula runs for every artist; only the inputs change.

Layer 1 — Deduplicated Reach

Spotifybase11.7M11.7M

YouTube8.5M × 18%+1.53M

Deduplicated Reachlargest + net-new13.2M

13.2M reach × 0.65 filter= 8.6M active fandom

Platform overlap factors are modeled assumptions, calibrated on major global acts. Verified platform inputs, 2026.

Audience Composition

AUDIENCE COMPOSITION

TOTAL ACTIVE FANDOM

Active Fandom

AUDIENCE SEGMENTS

Core Fans

Activatable core — drives conversion

25%

Casual Listeners

Amplifier — reach & awareness

47%

1.9M

Trend Followers

Viral lift — cultural moments

28%

1.1M

ENGAGEMENT RATE

8.1%

Very High

FANDOM GROWTH

+1.5%

vs last 12 months

GLOBAL REACH

10+

markets

WHERE TO FOCUS

Of the 4M total fandom, the 1M Core Fans (25%) are the activatable layer most likely to drive conversion through partnership campaigns.

CORE FANS

25% · 1M

Direct conversion target

Tours, merch, catalog streams, premium product collaborations

CASUAL LISTENERS

47% · 1.9M

Reach amplification

Broaden campaign awareness, compound social impressions

TREND FOLLOWERS

28% · 1.1M

Cultural virality

Spark trending moments, lift baseline visibility

Audience Intelligence

PURCHASE BEHAVIOR

Base: % of Core Fans (1M)

Music & Albums79%

≈ 0.8M

Concerts & Events95%

≈ 0.9M

Merchandise50%

≈ 0.5M

Digital Content35%

≈ 0.3M

Fan Memberships22%

≈ 0.2M

INSIGHT

Balanced fandom — a multi-category, broad-reach partnership opportunity.

FAN ENGAGEMENT TIMING

Modeled from engagement patterns

ENGAGEMENT OVER TIME

PEAKFri – Sat

Average Engagement

Engagement Level

PEAK HOURS

Local time

8 – 11 PM

local

COMEBACK LIFT

Last: May 2026 — LEMONADE

+140% around releases

around releases

NEXT WINDOW

Release cadence

H2 2026

INSIGHT

Best launch window is Fri – Sat into a comeback window (+140% around releases lift). Avoid early-week — -25% - 30% stabilization deceleration.

AFFINITY & FIT

Based on partnerships + content signals

Luxury Fashion

Prada · Versace · Loewe · Ralph Lauren ambassadorships

1.4x

above average

Streetwear

TikTok streetwear co-engagement & airport fashion logs

1.5x

above average

Tech & Devices

Intel · Apple · Google Play ecosystem integration

1.6x

above average

Beauty & Cosmetics

Chanel Beauty · Musinsa Beauty · Mediheal multi-tier campaigns

1.3x

above average

Mobile Gaming

Epic Seven in-game character integration & virtual avatar drops

1.7x

above average

INSIGHT

This audience over-indexes on Mobile Gaming (1.7x) — fits digital-native, high-engagement brands; a clear partnership-fit signal.

Market Activation Matrix

STRONGHOLD

High penetration · Lower growth

🇯🇵Japan

🇨🇳China

🇰🇷South Korea

🇺🇸United States

🇫🇷France

GROWTH ENGINE

High penetration · High growth

🇮🇩Indonesia

🇹🇭Thailand

🇧🇷Brazil

🇲🇽Mexico

DORMANT

Low penetration · Lower growth

🇬🇧United Kingdom

🇩🇪Germany

FRONTIER

Low penetration · High growth

🇸🇦Saudi Arabia

🇦🇪UAE

🇰🇼Kuwait

↑ Penetration

Growth Velocity →

MARKET OPPORTUNITY OVERVIEW

SEGMENT

MARKETS

KEY MARKETS

OPPORTUNITY

TREND (12M)

ACTION

Growth Engine

Anchor campaigns, flagship moments.

🇮🇩🇹🇭🇧🇷+1

34.1%

of Active Fandom

Recommended ActionDouble down

of Active Fandom34.1%

All 4 markets in Growth Engine

🇮🇩Indonesia12.2%

🇹🇭Thailand11.3%

🇧🇷Brazil5.5%

🇲🇽Mexico5.1%

Stronghold

Concert plays, premium pricing.

🇯🇵🇨🇳🇰🇷+2

58.7%

of Active Fandom

Recommended ActionMaximize ROI

of Active Fandom58.7%

All 5 markets in Stronghold

🇯🇵Japan19.5%

🇨🇳China15%

🇰🇷South Korea14.1%

🇺🇸United States7%

🇫🇷France3.1%

Frontier

Trial activations, build long-term.

🇸🇦🇦🇪🇰🇼

Opportunity Score /100

Recommended ActionSeed & test

Opportunity Score /10076

All 3 markets in Frontier

🇸🇦Saudi Arabia1%

🇦🇪UAE0.9%

🇰🇼Kuwait0.3%

Dormant

Skip or minimal investment.

🇬🇧🇩🇪

4.9%

of Active Fandom

Recommended ActionReassess fit

of Active Fandom4.9%

All 2 markets in Dormant

🇬🇧United Kingdom2.8%

🇩🇪Germany2.1%

2×2 directional framework — Penetration ≥ 3% of global fandom = High; Growth = High for SEA / LATAM / GCC / emerging-market acts, Low for mature markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is aespa?

aespa is a K-Pop Group from South Korea, formed in 2020 under SM Entertainment.

How many fans does aespa have?

aespa has approximately 4 million global fans, making them a Rising tier artist on the Cultiq fandom index.

What agency does aespa belong to?

aespa is under SM Entertainment, a South Korea entertainment company.

What markets is aespa popular in?

aespa's strongest markets are Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, with significant audience reach across Asia.

Who are the members of aespa?

aespa is composed of 4 members: Karina, Giselle, Winter, Ningning.

aespa

Frequently Asked Questions

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