aespa member Winter temporarily stepped back from group activities after being diagnosed with shingles during the North American leg of the group’s SYNK : COMPLæXITY world tour.
SM Entertainment announced on September 29 that Winter would miss aespa’s Dallas concert after her health failed to improve following an earlier performance in Miami. The agency said she had been feeling unwell before the September 26 Miami show but chose to perform alongside Karina, Giselle and Ningning before later visiting a hospital for further examination.
Doctors subsequently diagnosed her with shingles.
Winter initially hoped to continue with the tour, according to SM, but the company and singer ultimately decided that recovery should come first after consulting medical professionals.
“Her health and sufficient recovery must take priority.”
Winter therefore sat out the Dallas concert, along with its accompanying Hi-Bye and Send-Off events, while the other three aespa members continued the show.
Winter performed in Miami despite already feeling unwell
The timeline makes clear that Winter’s absence was not a precaution taken at the first sign of discomfort.
SM said the 25-year-old singer had already been experiencing health problems ahead of the Miami concert but was determined to appear with the group. When her condition did not sufficiently improve afterward, she underwent a medical examination and received the shingles diagnosis.
Even after receiving that diagnosis, Winter reportedly continued monitoring her condition in hopes of being able to perform in Dallas.
SM ultimately announced that she would rest instead.
The company said Winter was particularly disappointed because she had been looking forward to meeting Dallas fans and apologized for the sudden change. Karina, Giselle and Ningning performed the concert as a trio.
Shingles is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus responsible for chickenpox. It can cause a painful blistering rash and other symptoms, although the severity and recovery period vary from person to person.
SM did not release detailed information about Winter’s individual symptoms, so it would be inappropriate to speculate about how serious her case was.
Winter’s break lasted only a few days
Early coverage described Winter as taking time away from activities to recover, which understandably led some fans to expect a longer hiatus.
But by October 3, her condition had improved enough for her to return.
SM Entertainment issued another update saying that after a period of treatment and rest, Winter had consulted with the medical team and would participate in aespa’s Los Angeles show. The agency added that it would continue monitoring her health throughout the remaining tour schedule.
Winter subsequently appeared with Karina, Giselle and Ningning at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles on October 3, officially returning to group activities after missing the Dallas stop.
That makes the situation notably different from an open-ended health hiatus.
Winter did take a temporary break because of the shingles diagnosis, but she has already resumed performing.
aespa’s world tour continues after Winter’s return
aespa launched the 2026-27 aespa LIVE TOUR – SYNK : COMPLæXITY in Seoul in August and has since taken the tour through multiple cities across Asia and the Americas.
The North American schedule has included Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas and Los Angeles, with additional dates planned as the tour continues.
For fans, Winter’s Los Angeles appearance is reassuring, but SM’s latest statement also indicates that her recovery will continue to be monitored rather than treated as a completely closed issue.
The company said Winter’s health remains its priority and that she will continue receiving care and support through the remaining schedule.
So the most accurate update is no longer that Winter has “announced a break” from aespa.
She briefly stepped away after being diagnosed with shingles, missed one concert, rested and received treatment, and has now returned to the stage after medical consultation.
