Aespa Member Absent from Kohaku Uta Gassen Due to Flu
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Ningning of Aespa to Miss Kohaku uta Gassen Due to Influenza
Ningning, the Chinese member of the popular South Korean girl group Aespa, will be absent from the 65th NHK Kohaku uta Gassen (Red and White Song Contest) due to an influenza infection. The news was reported by Sankei News on December 29,2023.
what is kohaku Uta Gassen?
The NHK Kohaku Uta Gassen is an annual Japanese music show broadcast live on New Year’s Eve. It’s a cultural institution, consistently drawing over 35% of Japanese households as viewers – translating to roughly 38.5 million households in 2022, according to Statista. The show features the most popular artists of the year, divided into “red” (male artists) and “White” (female artists) teams.
Aespa was scheduled to perform their hit song “drama” at this year’s event, marking their second appearance after debuting in 2021. Their first appearance in 2022 garnered significant attention, helping to broaden their fanbase in Japan.
Aespa Will perform as a Trio
Despite Ningning’s absence, Aespa will still perform at Kohaku Uta Gassen with its remaining three members: Karina, Giselle, and Winter. The group’s agency, SM entertainment, confirmed that the performance will proceed as planned, albeit with adjustments to accommodate Ningning’s illness. This decision reflects the importance of the event and Aespa’s commitment to their Japanese fans.
The group’s popularity in Japan has been steadily increasing. In 2023, Aespa’s album “MY WORLD” topped the Oricon daily album chart, demonstrating their growing influence in the Japanese music market, as reported by Billboard.
Influenza Concerns and Recent Trends
Influenza cases have been rising in Japan in recent weeks, prompting health officials to urge caution. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reported a significant increase in influenza patients nationwide in late December, with cases exceeding levels seen in previous years, according to NHK World-Japan. This surge likely contributed to Ningning’s diagnosis and subsequent absence from the performance.
| Week Ending | number of Reported Influenza Cases (Japan) |
|---|---|
| December 18, 2023 | 30,937 |
| december 25, 2023 | 51 |