Giselle
aespa

Giselle

Giselle - Uchinaga Aeri - Kim Ae-ri
Kim Ae-ri
aespa Main Rapper Sub-Vocalist
🎂 October 30, 2000 🌍 Japanese-Korean 📏 163-164 cm (5'4in) ⚖️ 47 kg 🩸 Type O 🧠 INFJ
Giselle is the main rapper and sub-vocalist of aespa, the SM Entertainment girl group known for its futuristic concept and chart-topping global success. Born Uchinaga Aeri on October 30, 2000, in Japan to a Korean mother and Japanese father, Giselle grew up in Tokyo and trained for only about 11 months before debuting with aespa on November 17, 2020 - one of the shortest trainee periods in SM Entertainment history. Fluent in Korean, Japanese, and English, she frequently serves as an informal translator for the group during international promotions and is respected for writing her own rap verses. In October 2024, she released her debut solo single "Dopamine" as part of aespa's SYNK: Parallel Line, further showcasing her songwriting talent. Known for her sharp wit, playful humor, and role as the group's self-proclaimed mood maker, Giselle has become a fan favorite for her authenticity and charisma both on stage and in variety content. She has also built a growing fashion profile, being named a brand ambassador for Loewe in 2024. Balancing her Japanese-Korean heritage with a rapidly rising international career, Giselle stands out as one of the most distinctive voices in aespa and modern K-pop.
Story

Biography

Who Is Giselle? aespa’s Multilingual Main Rapper

Giselle is the main rapper and sub-vocalist of aespa, and she’s one of the most unique idols in K-pop simply because of how fast she got here. Born Uchinaga Aeri on October 30, 2000, to a Korean mother and a Japanese father, Giselle grew up mostly in Tokyo, attending the prestigious International School of the Sacred Heart. She only trained at SM Entertainment for about 11 months before debuting — one of the shortest trainee periods in the company’s history.

A Fast Track to Debut

Giselle actually auditioned for SM Entertainment four times before she was accepted through the company’s tough Saturday open audition. Once she got in, things moved quickly. On November 17, 2020, she debuted as the fourth and final revealed member of aespa with the digital single “Black Mamba,” bringing sharp rap delivery and a distinctive, husky tone that instantly stood out.

The Group’s Language Bridge

Because she grew up fluent in Japanese, Korean, and English, Giselle often steps in as an informal translator during international interviews, helping aespa connect with fans around the world. She’s also known for writing her own rap lyrics — she even performed self-written verses during her SM audition, long before she was a trainee.

Going Solo

In October 2024, Giselle released her first solo track, “Dopamine,” as part of aespa’s special single SYNK: Parallel Line. The song let her show off her songwriting chops and rap ability outside the group format, further building her identity as an individual artist.

Personality and Fun Facts

Off stage, Giselle is known for her quick wit, sarcastic humor, and being the group’s self-described “mood maker.” She was in her school choir for four years as an alto, can play the guitar, and has openly shared that she has ADHD. Fans often compare her look to f(x)’s Krystal, and she’s become a favorite for brands like Loewe, which named her a brand ambassador in 2024.

From growing up between two countries to becoming one of aespa’s most versatile performers, Giselle represents exactly what makes fourth-generation K-pop so global — she’s proof that a multilingual idol with a short trainee period and a lot of talent can still make it to the very top.

Profile

Basic Information

Stage NameGiselle
Full Birth NameUchinaga Aeri
Date of BirthOctober 30, 2000
BirthplaceTokyo, Japan
HometownTokyo, Japan
NationalityJapanese-Korean
Height163-164 cm (5'4in)
Weight47 kg
Blood TypeO
Zodiac SignScorpio
MBTIINFJ
EducationInternational School of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo
AgencySM Entertainment
DebutNovember 17, 2020 (aespa, Black Mamba)
LanguagesKorean, Japanese, English
NicknamesRiri, Aeri-chan, Gigi
HobbiesSongwriting, playing guitar, listening to music, shopping
Favorite ColorBlack
Ideal TypeSomeone kind and understanding
Membership

Groups & Positions

aespa
SM Entertainment
Main Rapper Sub-Vocalist
2020-present
The Lineup

Group Members — aespa

Journey

Career Timeline

2019
Joined SM Entertainment
After auditioning four times, Giselle finally passed SM's Saturday open audition and began training.
2020
aespa Formed & Debuted
SM Entertainment introduced aespa, its first new girl group since Red Velvet, revealing members one by one before the group's official debut on November 17, 2020 with the digital single "Black Mamba."
2020
Revealed as aespa's Final Member
SM Entertainment revealed Giselle as the fourth and last member of aespa on October 30, 2020, after only about 11 months of training.
2021
Next Level & Savage
aespa released "Next Level" in May, becoming a huge domestic and international hit, followed by their first EP "Savage" in October, which became one of the best-selling debut physical releases by an SM act.
2022
Girls & Got the Beat
aespa released their second EP "Girls," performed at Coachella, and members Karina and Winter joined the SM supergroup unit GOT the Beat.
2023
My World & Drama
aespa released two EPs, "My World" (with lead single "Spicy") and "Drama," and completed their first world tour, SYNK: Hyper Line.
2023
Health-Related Activity Pause
Giselle temporarily stepped back from select group activities and overseas promotions for health reasons before resuming with the group.
2024
Armageddon & Japanese Debut
aespa released their first full-length studio album "Armageddon," made their official Japanese debut with "Hot Mess," and released the 5th mini album "Whiplash," while members debuted solo tracks on "SYNK: Parallel Line."
2024
Solo Debut with Dopamine
Giselle released her first solo track as part of aespa's SYNK: Parallel Line special single, showcasing her songwriting and rap skills.
2024
Named Loewe Brand Ambassador
Giselle was announced as a brand ambassador for the luxury fashion house Loewe.
2025
Dirty Work, Rich Man & aeXIS Line
aespa continued their global rise with "Dirty Work," "Rich Man," and the special single "SYNK: aeXIS Line," alongside their SYNK: Parallel Line and Aexis Line world tours.
2026
Lemonade Era
aespa released "WDA (Whole Different Animal)" and their second studio album "Lemonade," continuing to headline major festivals worldwide.
Music

Discography

🎵
Dopamine
Solo Digital Single
2024
💜
Savage
EP (1st Mini Album)
2021
💜
Girls
EP (2nd Mini Album)
2022
💜
My World
EP (3rd Mini Album)
2023
💜
Drama
EP (4th Mini Album)
2023
💜
Armageddon
Studio Album (1st Album)
2024
💜
Whiplash
EP (5th Mini Album)
2024
💜
SYNK : aeXIS LINE
Special Digital Single
2025
💜
Lemonade
Studio Album (2nd Album)
2026
🎧
Black Mamba
Digital Single (Debut)
2020
🎧
Forever
Digital Single
2021
🎧
Next Level
Digital Single
2021
🎧
Girls
Album Lead Single
2022
🎧
Spicy
Album Lead Single
2023
🎧
Drama
Album Lead Single
2023
🎧
Supernova
Album Pre-release Single
2024
🎧
Hot Mess
Single (Japanese Debut)
2024
🎧
Armageddon
Album Lead Single
2024
🎧
Whiplash
Album Lead Single
2024
🎧
Dirty Work
Digital Single
2025
🎧
Rich Man
Digital Single
2025
🎧
WDA (Whole Different Animal)
Pre-release Single
2026
🎧
Lemonade
Digital Single
2026
Recognition

Awards & Achievements

🏆
Rookie of the Year
2021 Melon Music Awards
2021
🏆
Song of the Year (Daesang)
19th Korean Music Awards
2022
🏆
Artist of the Year (Daesang)
2024 Melon Music Awards
2024
🏆
Album of the Year (Daesang)
2024 Melon Music Awards
2024
🏆
Record of the Year (Daesang)
2024 Melon Music Awards
2024
🏆
Best Female Group
2024 Mnet Asian Music Awards
2024
🏆
Song of the Year (Bonsang)
2025 Golden Disc Awards
2025
🏆
World K-Pop Star Award
2022 Golden Disc Awards
2022
🏆
Best Vocal Performance Female Group
2024 Seoul Music Awards
2024
🏆
Global Artist Award
2025 MTV VMAs Fandom Voting
2025
Did You Know?

Trivia & Fun Facts ✨

Giselle's birth name is Uchinaga Aeri; her Korean name is Kim Ae-ri.
She was born on October 30, 2000, to a Korean mother and a Japanese father.
She is an only child.
Giselle grew up mostly in Tokyo, Japan, and attended the International School of the Sacred Heart.
She attended the same school as Rima of NiziU.
She auditioned for SM Entertainment four times before finally passing the company's Saturday open audition.
Giselle trained for only about 11 months before debuting - one of the shortest trainee periods in SM history.
She is fluent in Korean, Japanese, and English.
Giselle often acts as an informal translator for aespa during international interviews.
She wrote and performed her own rap lyrics during her SM Entertainment audition.
She was in her school choir for four years, singing alto as part of St. Mary's Choir.
Giselle can play the guitar.
Her nicknames include Riri, Aeri-chan, and Gigi.
Fans often say she resembles f(x)'s Krystal.
Her favorite color is black, and her yearbook quote was That's hot.
She has spoken openly about having ADHD.
Giselle and fellow member Winter jokingly call themselves the Dumb and Dumber Duo.
She was a provincial-level high jumper and 200m runner in Japan before becoming a trainee.
In June 2023, she temporarily paused some group activities due to health concerns.
Giselle released her debut solo track Dopamine in October 2024 as part of SYNK: Parallel Line.
She was named a brand ambassador for the luxury fashion house Loewe in 2024.
Her favorite movie is Deadpool, and she enjoys hip-hop and R&B music.
She likes sweet and salty foods and has a fondness for pasta.
Giselle is considered the strongest member of aespa physically, being the only one who can do a full chin-up.
She struggles with squatting and balance despite her upper-body strength.
Her representative aespa symbol is the crescent moon, and her number is 22.
Giselle featured on BOL4's single Lips in June 2024 and Haon's Skrr in November 2024.
She has said her personal motto is Everything happens for a reason.
She loves taking candid photos of her fellow aespa members.
Giselle was the fourth and final aespa member to be officially revealed, on October 30, 2020.
The Fandom

Fan Club & Fan Name 💜

Official Fan Name
MY (마이)
MY is the official fandom name of aespa, meaning 'the most precious friend' in KWANGYA, the virtual parallel-dimension world where the members' æ avatars live.
Official Fan Color
Aurora Gradient (Black & Ivory base)
aespa's official colors blend into an aurora-like gradient inspired by the group's futuristic, otherworldly concept, layered over a black-and-ivory base that ties together each member's individual representative color.
Official Light Stick
aespa Official Light Stick (nicknamed 'Sbong')
Released in July 2022, the lightstick is mostly white with a transparent orb on top and a transparent 'aespa' emblem inside, glowing in the group's aurora gradient color when lit. Fans affectionately nicknamed it 'sbong.'
Fan Community Platform
Bubble (by Dear U)
aespa members send personal messages, photos, and voice notes directly to fans through the Bubble app, one of the main ways MYs stay connected with the group between comebacks.
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