While NCT U, Exo and NCT Dream incorporated the term in a more general context, the lyrics of “Next Level” talk exclusively about SMCU concepts, resulting in lyrics that are barely comprehensible without prior knowledge of the fictional universe. The recurring mention of Kwangya has stood out to K-pop fans, but “Next Level” took things to just that - the next level. Since then, Kwangya has continued to appear in songs by SM’s artists such as NCT U’s “90’s Love” (2020), Exo’s “Don’t Fight the Feeling” (2021) and NCT Dream’s “Hello Future” (2021).
A scene from aespa’s music video for “Next Level” (2021) The lyrics of aespa’s debut song “Black Mamba” (2020) also mention the term kwangya, which means “wilderness” in Korean.
