SM Entertainment is being slammed for several instances that supposedly prove they are "mistreating" aespa member Winter. Keep on reading for all the details.

aespa Releases Documentary Film 'aespa: MY First Page'

Recently, aespa officially released the special documentary film "aespa: MY First Page," marking their fourth year as a group.

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From here, debates about favoritism have erupted, especially among fans of member Winter.

As the visual duo and two Korean members of the group, Winter and Karina are the two who have been favored most by SM Entertainment since their debut. Winter is also one of the most popular members and is arguably the most beloved member of the group.

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Serving as the main vocalist, Winter is often referred to as the SM princess due to the top-notch treatment she receives. However, recently, fans have pointed out that SM seems to be neglecting Winter, sparking intense debate among fans.

SM Entertainment Garners Flack for Repeatedly 'Mistreating' aespa Winter

The controversy began when Winter was excluded from the poster with the fan signature art card for the promotion of the film "aespa: MY First Page." In the picture, only 3 members, Karina, Ningning, and Giselle, appeared.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: SM Entertainment Slammed for Excluding aespa Winter in Promotional Photo

Winter was absent from the photo because she was obscured. After fans slammed the use of the photo, the distributor stated, "The production process was carried out under the guidance of SM Entertainment. It's very difficult to change the image."

This image itself sparked rumors of Winter leaving the group on Korean social media platforms. However, following the distributors statement, backlash sparked against SM Entertainment.

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It was noted that Winter still participated in the promotion and left her signature on the poster. However, Winter's message on the poster was copied from a message on an old Polaroid, making the content inconsistent with the context, creating an odd situation.

Winter herself also wondered why her message on the poster was: "English... English... really hard... Sorry...?"

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Additionally, many fans pointed out that the group's shared account managed by SM Entertainment also rarely updates about Winter's schedules and personal work.

With these several instances, fans of Winter are banding together and trending different hashtags on X (formerly Twitter) to call for equal treatment among the aespa members.

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Ironically, the member dubbed the "SM princess" is neglected by the company. SM Entertainment's actions have been criticized by fans as both unfair to the artist and causing turmoil within the fandom.

What do you think of the situation? Tell us in the comments below!

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Written by Alexa Lopez