aespa x PUBG: Battlegrounds to release new song 'Dark Arts'

K-pop girl group aespa will release a new song titled “Dark Arts” on July 15 as part of a collaboration with global battle royale game PUBG: Battlegrounds, developer Krafton and the group’s agency SM Entertainment announced Thursday.

Girl group aespa [SM ENTERTAINMENT]

K-pop girl group aespa will release a new song titled “Dark Arts” on July 15 as part of a collaboration with global battle royale game PUBG: Battlegrounds, developer Krafton and the group’s agency SM Entertainment announced Thursday.

The track is part of a wider project that merges aespa’s aesthetic, often referred to by fans as “metallic” or “iron-flavored” sounds and concepts, with the game’s action-driven, survival-based gameplay, according to SM Entertainment.

PUBG: Battlegrounds is a first-person survival shooting game developed by Krafton in 2017. The game has previously partnered with girl groups BabyMonster and NewJeans.

aespa's new song is described as a high-energy track that captures the tension of combat with fast-paced guitar riffs and an aggressive rhythm, reflecting the determination to survive and win.

The first teaser for the collaboration dropped on June 21 with the cryptic phrase “Signal detected” on PUBG:Battlegrounds' official social media channels. Additional teaser videos, including a concept preview slated for release on Thursday at 6 p.m., will precede the song’s launch.

A promotional image for girl group aespa's collaboration with global battle royale game “PUBG: Battlegrounds” [SM ENTERTAINMENT]

The partnership marks aespa’s latest move in global branding efforts following the release of its EP “Dirty Work” on Friday, which surpassed 1 million preorders and topped multiple charts, including Korea’s Circle Chart, China’s QQ Music and Japan’s AWA.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]