Aespa member Ningning will not perform at Japan's NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen on Dec. 31 after being diagnosed with influenza, SM Entertainment announced on Monday.
The Chinese singer was advised by doctors to rest and recover from the flu, prompting the decision to exclude her from the performance. The other three aespa members—Karina, Giselle, and Winter—will still appear at the year-end broadcast. SM Entertainment said the agency consulted with NHK before confirming that only these three members would participate.
The NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen is Japan's most-watched music program, broadcast annually on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31. The show features top artists and is considered an important performance opportunity for popular musicians. Aespa's appearance was highly anticipated, but Ningning's health situation led to a change in plans.
Ningning had already experienced health challenges recently. Earlier this month, she missed the red carpet event at South Korea's Melon Music Awards due to cold symptoms, though she later performed on the main stage.
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The timing of the announcement comes alongside the resurfacing of controversy surrounding a social media post Ningning shared in 2022. The post featured a decorative lamp that some Japanese netizens claimed resembled a mushroom cloud from an atomic bomb. The criticism escalated in recent weeks amid heightened tensions between China and Japan, particularly following remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Over 70,000 people had signed an online petition calling for Ningning's removal from the performance, citing concerns about the 2022 post. In response to the renewed attention on the photo, SM Entertainment issued a statement clarifying that the post had no specific purpose or intent to disrespect anyone. The agency said it would exercise greater caution in the future regarding the content shared by its artists.
NHK had previously confirmed that the group would perform as scheduled after investigating the matter and determining that Ningning did not intend to make any disrespectful statement. However, Ningning's health diagnosis has now altered those plans.
SM Entertainment thanked fans and NHK for their understanding regarding the sudden change. The agency said the decision prioritized the singer's health and recovery needs.
