'Rich Man': Decoding gritty sound and choreography of Aespa

Inside the steel turn

Producers tightened the record only after early mixes felt too slick, swapping in rougher electric guitar layers and denser low frequencies so choruses would punch like a live room rather than a pristine studio pass.

This decision aligns with official previews that frame 'Rich Man' as a dance cut defined by gritty guitar, addictive topline, and a band-forward atmosphere that sharpens the group's vocal color. To telegraph the shift, teaser materials leaned into lightning motifs and chrome-like textures, positioning the quartet as a band unit in images that spotlight microphones, drums, and synths as concept anchors.

The hand move, reverse‑engineered

The choreography starts with a single, loopable hand motif that reads clearly in tight camera frames yet expands to arena-scale patterns without constant formation churn.

The routine is structured like a gear shift-compact gestures up front, then a kinetic release-so the final chorus spikes energy while remaining easy to learn, echoing the group's precision lineage in a leaner, silhouette-first format. This minimalism was tailored for band-style lighting and short-form capture, ensuring the motif multiplies quickly across fan edits without losing shape.

A trailer taught in whispers

On set for the long-form trailer, Winter admitted unusual nerves acting opposite a film star for the first time, a stretch eased by quiet, on-camera coaching about eye focus and blocking angles. Ningning, guided by director Lee Ok-seop, rehearsed micro-movements-arm placement, approach timing-while cuts were reviewed nearly in real time to stay glued to the music's push-pull. The collaboration with actor Koo Kyo-hwan turned the shoot into a compact masterclass; members later praised his intensity as both scene partner and subtle tutor, reinforcing a cinematic tone beneath the album's steel shell.