Lineup reveals aespa and ILLIT on the Red Team; Milk’s Whiplash connection stirs plagiarism talk

NHK has revealed the lineup for the 76th Kohaku Uta Gassen, Japan’s premier year-end music festival, with attention rising as the list goes public. On November 14, NHK announced the show’s lineup on its official site.

According to the lineup, the Red Team will feature SM Entertainment’s aespa and Belift Lab’s IL(L)IT, while the White Team includes HYBE’s localized group &TEAM as K-pop artists. aespa will perform at Kohaku for the first time since their debut in 2020, marking the first time SM artists have appeared at Kohaku since TVXQ and Girls’ Generation in 2011—a 14-year gap. IL(L)IT will appear for the second consecutive year, and &TEAM will also be making their Kohaku debut.

Milk (M!LK), a Japanese boy group, stands out as a notable act in the lineup. However, Milk’s teaser for their pre-release track “イイじゃん” reportedly carries a vibe similar to the melody of Whiplash, with choreography that mirrors Whiplash to some extent, sparking plagiarism rumors. Milk’s agency Star Dust Promotion has not issued a public statement, and the Kohaku match-up has drawn domestic and international interest.