Lineup confirms aespa and ILLIT for Red Team; &TEAM for White Team

NHK has announced the lineup for the 76th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen, signaling aespa and Illit from Belift Lab among the Red Team performers, with HYBE’s &TEAM on the White Team. aespa will perform at the festival for the first time since their 2020 debut, marking the first appearance by SM Entertainment artists since TVXQ and Girls’ Generation in 2011, a span of 14 years. Illit is set for a second consecutive appearance, while &TEAM will also be making their debut appearance at Kouhaku. A notable inclusion in the lineup is the Japanese boy group M!LK. Previously, MilK teased a track whose mood and choreography drew comparisons to Whiplash, triggering plagiarism controversy. MilK’s agency Stardust Promotion did not issue a statement, and their upcoming clash with aespa at Kouhaku has drawn attention from fans and media alike.