Renan claims 80% of aespa 'Whiplash' choreography, loses 9-0 to Shimizu on Street World Fighter

Renan went on record claiming she built 80% of the Whiplash choreography — and still didn't win the award for it.

On the August 18 episode of Mnet's Street World Fighter: Director's War, the 2024 Choreo Awards came up. Renan and Lachika had shared the Choreography of the Year prize: Renan for aespa's Armageddon, Lachika for aespa's Whiplash. Renan's position was blunt: "Shouldn't I have received the award for 'Whiplash'?" She said she handled lessons, the music video shoot, activity appearances, practice videos, and broadcasts. "I cried after the awards ceremony," she added.

Shimizu wasn't having it. "Then you should have choreographed the point dance well. We took the killing part, so what do we do?" She called Renan's style "room choreography" — a "1-pyeong dancer" whose work would be "suitable for short-form content." Baby Joo backed her up: "Dancing within 1 pyeong."

When Renan asked whether Shimizu could produce many point dances herself, Shimizu immediately demonstrated the Whiplash neck-disk choreography on the spot. (The room had opinions.)

Hash added fuel, saying he felt Lachika "was not a skilled team" when he watched Street Woman Fighter. Shimizu, hearing the question framed that way, said it was the first time anyone had asked her something like that and promised to "show you properly this time."

The choreography battle settled nothing diplomatically. Shimizu was assigned to steal aespa's Armageddon; Renan was assigned IVE's Bang Bang. Shimizu swept every vote — public judges and fellow choreographers alike — winning 9:0. Renan admitted afterward, "I think my facial expression management wasn't good." Jung Min-jun put it plainly: "I thought the two of you were fighting."