aespa member Winter has shared honest thoughts about her fear of trying new things, her mindset on freedom, and details about a brand-new solo dance stage she has prepared for the group’s ongoing world tour. The K-pop star sat down with Cosmopolitan Korea for a pictorial and interview in collaboration with Polo Ralph Lauren, the fashion brand she represents as an ambassador. The full feature appears in the magazine’s October issue.
Winter, whose real name is Kim Min Jeong, posed in Polo Ralph Lauren’s fall/winter collection despite the hot weather. She said the heat did not bother her much and that the shoot was not too difficult. She also spoke about her busy schedule, which includes multiple projects at the same time.
“I’m gradually getting used to being busy because I have so many scheduled events. Ideally, it would be best if I could focus on just one thing a year, but since I’m working on multiple projects simultaneously, I’m putting a lot of effort into managing my energy. Even so, whenever there’s something I want to do, I tend to speak up about it. I try not to overlook even the smallest things.”
Winter Says She Is Naturally Fearful of New Challenges
Winter revealed that she often feels scared when facing something new. She described the internal conversation she has with herself whenever a new challenge comes her way.
“I’m actually really easily scared, you know? I’m also afraid of taking on challenges. So my thought process goes, ‘I’m so scared of trying new things,’ ‘No, everyone else does it too!’ ‘You have to do it, Min Jeong!’ and, ‘Why are you the only one so scared of this?’”
She added that when she looked back at everything she has done, she realized she had tried more new things than other people. Still, she admitted that fear and worry come naturally to her when she takes on something unfamiliar.
“One day, when I looked back at the things I’ve done, I realized that I had actually tried more new things than other people. But the truth is, I’m naturally full of fear and worry when it comes to taking on new challenges!”
New Solo Stage Will Be a Dance Track With a Western Vibe
Winter also gave a hint about the solo stage she has prepared for aespa‘s ongoing tour. She explained that she has performed new songs as solo stages about three times so far, and the pattern was song, dance, song. This time, she wanted to focus on dance.
“I’ve performed new songs as solo stages at concerts about three times so far, and the order was song, dance, song. So I thought this time it was time for dance. I really wanted to dance too.”
She shared that no one at her company picked this song as their first choice, but she was drawn to it and decided to go with it. The track is a genre she has never tried before. She also noted that it is a dance track with a Western vibe, similar to the concept of her Cosmopolitan Korea pictorial.
The solo stage is part of aespa‘s fourth world tour, SYNK: COMPLaeXITY, which began with two shows at Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul on August 7 and 8. The tour is set to travel to 25 regions around the world, including stops in North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia. The tour runs from August 7, 2026, to February 2, 2027.
Winter Talks About Freedom and Her Current Mindset
When asked if she feels free these days, Winter said it depends on how a person looks at things. She explained that if she thinks she is under pressure, she will feel constrained, but if she believes she can do it, she becomes free.
“I think it depends on how you look at it. If I think I’m under pressure, I’ll feel endlessly constrained, but if I think I can do it, I become endlessly free. Given the nature of my job, I also get to enjoy many things that other people can’t. So rather than longing to be free, I don’t want to lose the mindset I have right now that ‘I can do anything.’”
aespa Releases Solo Tracks as Digital Single
The solo stages performed during the SYNK: COMPLaeXITY tour have now been released as a special digital single. SM Entertainment dropped SYNK: COMPLaeXITY – 2026 Special Digital Single on September 14 at 6 PM KST on major music platforms.
The single includes four solo tracks, one from each member. Karina‘s track is 16 Bit, an R&B dance song for which she participated in writing lyrics. Winter‘s solo song is Saddle Up, an R&B dance track that shares a confident and proactive message about proving sincerity through actions rather than words. Giselle contributed to both the composition and lyrics of her song BYEB4HELLO, which blends bright energy with a twist. Ningning sings I Love You But I Gotta Let You Go, a emotional ballad that highlights her powerful and detailed vocals.
The digital single gives fans studio versions of the songs they first heard during the Gocheok Sky Dome concerts in August. The release also helps connect the tour’s stage performances with the digital music market.
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Tour Continues With Sold-Out Shows Worldwide
The SYNK: COMPLaeXITY world tour is currently moving through different regions. After the Seoul opening shows, the group performed in Taipei, followed by stops in Santiago, Lima, and Mexico City. The São Paulo show in Brazil drew about 21,000 attendees, setting a record for the largest audience for a fourth-generation girl group in the country and ranking second among all K-pop girl groups.
aespa is scheduled to continue the tour with upcoming shows in North America, including a performance at UBS Arena in Belmont Park on September 18, 2026. The tour will then move to other regions through February 2027.
Winter’s full pictorial and interview can be found in the October issue of Cosmopolitan Korea. The magazine released the cover and pictorial featuring Winter, marking her second time on the cover of the publication. The shoot took place while aespa was traveling between Korea and the United States for the tour.
Also Read: aespa Drops ‘Lemonade’ Music Video and Second Studio Album
Stay tuned to VvipTimes for more updates on aespa’s world tour and the latest K-pop news.
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