For the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards (2021 MAMA), both ITZY and aespa put on incredible performances which have gone viral again thanks to an interaction between ITZY’s Yeji and aespa’s Karina.
ITZY’s medley of their title tracks “LOCO” and “In the morning” was given a cinematic storyline.
ITZY’s Lia | Mnet K-POP/YouTube
ITZY’s Yuna | Mnet K-POP/YouTube
ITZY’s Chaeryeong | Mnet K-POP/YouTube
Squid Game actor Heo Sung Tae gave Ryujin a mission to eliminate her other members.
Heo Sung Tae | Mnet K-POP/YouTube
Their performance featured impressive sets, stunning outfits, and even fight choreography.
ITZY’s Ryujin | Mnet K-POP/YouTube
Along with ITZY’s phenomenal acting and talent.
ITZY’s Yeji (left) and Ryujin (right) | Mnet K-POP/YouTube
In contrast, aespa used their multiverse for their performance’s story.
(left to right) aespa’s Giselle, Karina, Winter, and NingNing | Mnet K-POP/YouTube
The brief intermission between their performances featuring the CGI snake that has made appearances in their music videos and teasers.
| Mnet K-POP/YouTube
For the awards show, they performed both title tracks, “Next Level” and “Savage.”
| Mnet K-POP/YouTube
Their outfits were also stunning, and the graphics behind the stage suited their performances perfectly.
| Mnet K-POP/YouTube
They even showed off their impressive dancing alongside their AI avatars.
| Mnet K-POP/YouTube
And although the performances took place in December, fans are once again talking about the performances as a moment between ITZY’s Yeji and aespa’s Karina is going viral on Twitter.
aespa’s Karina (left) and ITZY’s Yeji (right)
The two show off their friendship in a brief interaction.
Yeji greets Karina and claims that she is a MY (aespa’s fandom name).
And Karina references Yeji’s iconic “kitty” line in ITZY’s title track, “LOCO.” Telling Yeji, she looks like she’d “be good at “sweet little kitty-ing.’”
And fans are understandably excited to see these two idols’ friendship.
And hopeful to see more interactions between these two in the future.