aespa has been identified as the new favorite among soldiers, according to a survey by Kookbang Ilbo (The Ministry of National Defense Newspaper) that asked soldiers to select the stars they would most want to see perform on a concert tour for their entertainment.

The survey, carried out from April 4th to 17th and involving 309 soldiers, revealed that 18.1% of respondents chose aespa.

Private Kim mentioned that thinking about Karina from aespa helped him stay strong during challenging and tiring times, motivating him to protect his country even more for her.

Music from aespa was a significant source of encouragement in military life. Private Baek expressed how watching aespa's music videos during personal maintenance time after work hours was a healing experience for him.

fromis_9 came in second with 16.2% in the survey. Sergeant Bae highlighted how thinking about their songs during marches was energizing and helped him complete the journey.

Other popular choices included IU at 6.5%, IVE at 6.1%, and NMIXX at 4.9%, with respondents mentioning how the artists' lyrics gave them courage and helped them endure challenging situations.

Moreover, Kookbang Ilbo's Military Chart, a project focused on defense content in collaboration with soldiers, engages them monthly with interesting and relatable topics.