aespa's Winter will take a break to recover from surgery

aespa's Winter will take a break to recover from a recent lung surgery.

Winter of girl group aespa poses for a photo at makeup brand Mamonde's pop-up event held in Seoul on March 8. [YONHAP]

Winter of girl group aespa will take a break from activities to heal from a recent lung surgery, her agency, SM Entertainment, said Friday.

“Winter is currently in recovery after recently undergoing pneumothorax surgery,” SM Entertainment said in a news release. “Her health will be prioritized in determining her future schedule.”

A pneumothorax is a collapsed lung, and it occurs when air leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall.

Winter underwent surgery preemptively on her doctors' recommendation, as the condition is prone to recurrence, the agency said.

aespa is currently preparing for promotional activities for its new music set to drop in May. The group is also slated to kick off its second world tour with two concerts in June. To find out more about Winter and aespa, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]