aespa opened the U.S. leg of its SYNK : COMPLæXITY world tour with a Sept. 18 concert at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, New York. Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning delivered a 23-song performance that combined material from their latest releases with established hits and individual solo stages.
The New York concert followed the tour’s opening run in Seoul, along with dates in Taipei and Latin America. The group had also appeared at Lollapalooza in Chicago in August before continuing into the North American arena dates. The current world tour is scheduled to continue into 2027.
The show opened with “LEMONADE” before moving into “Switchblade,” “Whiplash,” “Black Mamba” and “WDA (Whole Different Animal).” The set drew from aespa’s growing catalog while introducing the New York audience to the production and arrangements created specifically for the SYNK : COMPLæXITY tour.
One of the performance highlights came with “Count on Me,” which featured an acoustic introduction with Karina playing piano. The quieter section provided a change from the opening run of high-energy performances before the group returned to the main production with songs including “Angel #48,” “Camouflage,” “Can’t Help Myself” and “KISS N TELL.”
The members also received individual spotlight moments during the concert. Karina performed “16 Bit,” Winter performed “Saddle Up,” Giselle delivered “BYEB4HELLO” and Ningning performed “I Love You But I Gotta Let You Go.” The four songs were introduced during the tour’s Seoul opening shows and were subsequently released as SYNK : COMPLæXITY – 2026 Special Digital Single.
The solo stages allowed each member to present a different musical direction. Karina’s “16 Bit” uses fragmented digital imagery as a metaphor for losing sight of oneself, while Winter’s “Saddle Up” centers on confidence. Giselle’s “BYEB4HELLO” and Ningning’s “I Love You But I Gotta Let You Go” focus on complicated emotions surrounding relationships and separation.
Later in the show, aespa moved into some of its biggest group performances, including “Armageddon,” “Bite,” “Next Level,” “SHAKIN’” and “Supernova.” The New York set also included aespa’s version of “Next Level,” listed as an A$ton Wyld cover in the concert setlist.
“Supernova” provided another major point in the closing stretch before the group moved into “YEPPI YEPPI” and “’Til We Die.” The final section brought the four members together for the last portion of the 23-song set.
The concert also featured the visual storytelling and stage production that have become part of aespa’s live performances. The SYNK : COMPLæXITY tour has been presented as a new chapter rather than a continuation of the group’s previous SYNK tours, with redesigned performances, stage elements and visual concepts.
During the closing remarks, Karina told the New York crowd that aespa would return, while Giselle similarly reassured fans that the group would be back. The comments came as the quartet prepared to continue the North American portion of the tour.
Following the UBS Arena performance, aespa’s North American itinerary continues with Washington, D.C., on Sept. 22, followed by Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Los Angeles, Oakland and Seattle. The U.S. run is scheduled to conclude with the Oct. 9 concert at Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, with the tour continuing to additional international dates afterward.
