aespa’s Karina is facing backlash after Seoul Waterbomb 2025 used deepfake AI technology on her image in their latest promotional video.
The festival’s reel showed Karina’s photo blinking and moving slightly through AI animation. Fans immediately called out the usage as "disgusting," pointing to safety concerns around deepfake tech.
Many highlighted the double standard with SM Entertainment’s recent statement condemning unauthorized deepfakes of their artists.
“the official waterbomb page uses deepfake technology to make karina blink in their latest reel. this is disgusting”
— shinto ੯‧̀͡⬮ (@killingryejmj)“sorry but how is sm posting statements saying they’re actively sueing people making deepfakes of the girls yet they’re letting waterbomb promote their festival using deepfake technology on karina this is disgusting”
— ☆ (@thereforyu)
Fans demand SM step in and remove the video immediately.
“using deepfake tech on karina is so harmful and dangerous, sm needs to have it taken down immediately. it was already obvious she’d be performing at waterbomb but more than anything, i just hope she feels safe and has fun. her stylist really needs to take this seriously”
— liz ꫂ ၴႅၴ (@rinacvnty)“so sm releases a statement talking about how the use of ai and deepfake technology on their artists is bad, but then allows whoever edits for @waterbomb_seoul to use that same technology on karina just for promotion?”
— rosie ♡ྀི｡ꪆৎ˚ (@loveyudoll)
The controversy comes amid ongoing fan concerns over Karina’s recent troubles. Fans continue to monitor how SM and Waterbomb respond to the backlash.
