Winter gets two Hawaii nights as aespa learns how to rest

aespa members Winter and GISELLE looked back on the long January break they took after debuting, describing a rare stretch of rest that still did not feel entirely separate from work. In a video featuring aespa released on the YouTube channel “Zip Daesung” on June 12, the two sat down with BIGBANG’s Daesung and spoke about their years in the industry, their habits behind the stage, and the way they now think about time off.

The central point of the conversation was not simply where they traveled. Winter and GISELLE each went abroad during a three-week vacation, with Winter heading to Hawaii and GISELLE going to LA, but both said that even during their free time they could not fully detach themselves from their work.

Winter said the longest period she rested this year came in January, when she had three weeks off and visited Hawaii. Still, she made clear that it was not a long overseas stay. She explained that being abroad for too long made her feel uneasy, and that even when she looked at her phone or listened to music, she quickly became bored. In the end, the Hawaii schedule lasted only three nights and four days.

When Daesung reacted by pointing out that, considering the travel time, the actual time spent there must have been short, Winter said she had slept in Hawaii twice. She added that she spent her time by the beach watching movies and falling asleep that way.

GISELLE’s vacation followed a similar pattern. She said she went to LA during the same period, but continued working even while she was there. Her comments suggested that, for her, spending time on music at a place she had gone to rest was itself a comfortable way to unwind.

Their remarks connect to the pace aespa has maintained in a short span of time, moving through Korean music broadcasts, overseas performances, album promotions, and the group’s own content on a tightly packed schedule. For the members, the idea of spending time doing nothing still appears to be something unfamiliar.

The video also touched on how long aespa has now been active. Daesung noted that the group has reached its seventh year since debut, and GISELLE responded with surprise at how quickly time had passed.

Winter said that inside SMTOWN she still feels close to the youngest side of the roster, but on music broadcasts, aespa’s recording order is now pushed later because there are many junior teams. The exchange naturally showed, within a variety-show conversation, that aespa is no longer a freshly debuted rookie group.

Since debuting with “Black Mamba,” aespa has built its team identity through bold concepts and sharply defined performances in songs including “Next Level,” “Savage,” “Drama,” and “Supernova.” In this content, however, the members’ everyday rhythm behind the stage came into clearer view.

Winter’s difficulty fully relaxing even by the beach, and GISELLE’s decision to keep working at a travel destination, can be read as part of the process of a long-running team learning how to rest. After their January break, aespa has returned to meeting fans through stages and content activities.