PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS Gets a K-Pop Power-Up with aespa's 'Dark Arts'

Global K-pop powerhouse aespa is casting a new spell over the music and gaming worlds with their explosive new single, ‘Dark Arts’, released today via SM Entertainment / Virgin Records. This highly anticipated track sees the genre-defying group team up with KRAFTON’s PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, delivering an anthem perfectly suited for the intensity of the battle royale arena.

Following the massive global success of their recent single ‘Dirty Work’, ‘Dark Arts’ further cements aespa's status as a leading force in K-pop. The song features rapid-fire guitar riffs and pounding rhythms that immediately evoke the tension and thrill of combat, while aespa's signature harmonizing vocals add a fierce determination for victory. The collaboration seamlessly merges the distinct universes and powerful symbolism of both the group and the game, celebrating fearless ambition and the exhilaration of battle.



aespa’s previous single, ‘Dirty Work’, proved to be a groundbreaking success, achieving over 1.01 million pre-orders and accumulating over 27 million music video views. The track also marked their first-ever entry on the UK’s Official Trending Chart. Giselle, a member of aespa, recently told Rolling Stone UK that the song offered a fresh edge to their sound, explaining, "With this one, we went a little bit more minimal with the sound and focused on the way we portray our voices as well.”

The impact of ‘Dirty Work’ was felt immediately worldwide, debuting at No. 5 on Billboard’s Global 200 chart and No. 2 on Billboard’s Global Excluding US chart – the group’s highest ranks to date. It also dominated Spotify’s Top Songs Debut Global charts and secured multiple No. 1 positions on major platforms in China and Japan, showcasing aespa's rapidly expanding global fanbase.

This collaborative release with PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS arrives as aespa continues an impressive year, which saw them make history as the first K-pop girl group to headline Morocco’s Mawazine Festival and release their acclaimed full-length album “Armageddon,” featuring the hit ‘Supernova’. With ‘Dark Arts’, aespa continues to push boundaries and solidify their position at the forefront of global music.