Apple has officially announced its latest collaboration, and this time, it’s with the powerhouse K-pop group aespa. The Apple team up with aespa marks a major pivot from the tech giant’s previous work with NewJeans, signaling a new promotional direction tied to the release of aespa’s new single “Dirty Work.”
Apple Korea revealed on the 9th that the entire Dirty Work music video was filmed using the new iPhone 16 Pro. This is the third major installment in Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign in South Korea, following acclaimed collaborations with director Park Chan-wook in 2022 and NewJeans in 2023.
Apple team up with aespa amid NewJeans contract turmoil
The timing of the Apple team up with aespa is raising eyebrows, especially as NewJeans faces internal conflict with their agency ADOR, a HYBE subsidiary. Apple had previously featured NewJeans in the “ETA” music video campaign, shot with the iPhone 14 Pro. That video won four awards at One Show 2024 in New York and gained global attention for creatively adding bunny ears—NewJeans’ symbol—to the Apple logo.
However, Apple appears to be distancing itself from NewJeans during the current dispute. In a recent court ruling on May 29, ADOR was granted an indirect compulsory order: any member of NewJeans conducting independent activities without agency approval would incur a 1 billion KRW (approx. $720,000 USD) penalty per violation.
aespa’s “Dirty Work” shows off iPhone 16 Pro features
As Apple team up with aespa, the Dirty Work music video fully showcases the iPhone 16 Pro’s advanced 4K 120fps slow-motion capability. This allowed Apple and SM Entertainment to enhance aespa’s performance scenes with variable speed and precision, creating a highly stylized and visually striking final cut. The video’s explosive fireworks finale was also captured using iPhone’s slow motion.
To support the release, Apple unveiled a 30-second behind-the-scenes feature and a set of 15-second tutorial clips. These explain how to use the iPhone’s slow-motion mode in just two taps. The content is now live across Apple Korea’s YouTube, Apple’s global Instagram, and digital media channels.
aespa’s Dirty Work performance video is now available on Apple Music, SM Entertainment’s official YouTube, and aespa’s own channel. For more of aespa news, do check the link below.
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