WOOD: When I heard that K-pop superstar group Aespa
and their avatar counterparts were coming to New York,
I knew I had to meet them.
Their innovative blend of digital
and real-world performances has changed the K-pop game.
And if I got to know them, maybe my nieces would stop texting me
about how uncool I am while we're sitting in the same room.
They needed an experienced tour guide
to show them around the V.I.P. way.
Luckily, I parked in front of that guy.
So I invited Giselle, Ningning,
Winter and Karina
on the most informative New York bus tour in history.
Where-where are the avatars?
I had seats for the avatars, too.
-Oh. -They're-they're in...
-They're in the Flat right now. -Maybe Flat.
The F-- And what is the Flat?
It's like a virtual space
-for our avatars. -Virtual? -Yes.
They're not real... people.
-I knew that. -Yeah. (laughs) -(chuckling)
I knew-- I knew they weren't real people.
-I was just quizzing you. -Yeah. -Oh.
-Okay. You ready to see New York City? -Yeah. Yeah.
-Wow! -Yeah! -Let's go! -All right.
-Let's go. Let's go see New York City. -Yay!
-(siren wailing) -Now if you listen closely... -Yeah.
-Mm-hmm. -...you can hear the siren.
-Yeah, siren. -That is the official sound of New York City.
-Oh. -(chuckles) -NINGNING: Oh, pizza.
I want pizza.
-Ah. -New York City, bagels and pizza.
-Bagel. -Bagels and pizza? -Yeah.
What does "Aespa" mean?
Aespa is-- Well, the "A" and the "E"
at the start of "Aespa" means "avatar" and "experience."
So it's kind of like having a two-sided thing
where we have an avatar friend
and we experience a new world together.
-Yeah. -Like a virtual reality.
-So metaverse? So-- All right, it's a metaverse. -Metaverse.
-Yeah. -Okay, okay. I--
-Th-That I understand. -Yeah.
-(chuckling) -I understand metaverse.
Listen, I know a dude in the metaverse.
He owe me $12.
I figured the best place to start the tour
was at every New Yorker's most favorite place.
-So this is Times Square. -Ooh. -Yeah?
-Lots of videos and lights and flashing its... -Yeah.
-It looks like if a computer virus took over New York. -Oh!
-Lots of stuff going on in Times Square. -Oh. Shiny new city.
There's even a spot in Times Square
where there used to be a record store.
-Oh. -Record store?
Yeah. You used to have to buy music. How old are you all?
Oh, that's where I work right there!
-Oh. -Wow. -That's that building.
-Trevor Noah's in there. -Hi. -Hi. (laughs)
Up there is where the ball drops.
-Wow! -Wow. -It floats down.
I don't think they're doing it today.
I think it's only on New Year's.
I mean, I'm the one that lives in New York,
but if you say it's New Year's.
-Harry Potter. -Okay. Oh, yeah, Harry Potter.
-That's my homey. I know Harry. -Mm. -Oh, yeah.
That trash can is where Oscar the Grouch lives.
Oh! Popular trash can.
And that pigeon was in Home Alone 2, I think.
-This Home Alone? -Yeah, that Home Alone. That one, yeah.
Aespa was extremely impressed by my vast knowledge of the city.
I think he's a liar.
Manhattan-- this is also where we have the Macy's
-Thanksgiving Day Parade. -Oh.
It's a really huge parade.
We're performing in it this year.
-Yeah. -You should come watch.
-I'll try. I might be busy. -Oh. -Why?
I'm actually booked in the T.J. Maxx
-Thanksgiving Day Par... -Oh? -Oh.
-Ooh. -It's not really a parade.
It's like a little get-together in a parking lot.
-Oh. -But it feels like a parade if you drive slowly.
-That's cool. -That's cool.
WOOD: While I thought about how I was gonna get
T.J. Maxx's phone number and convince him to throw a parade,
we came to New York's second hottest shopping spot.
All right, so, this is Madison Avenue.
There's a lot of fashion in this side of New York,
a lot of different stores.
Do you all like shopping?
-Wow. -Love shopping. -WOOD: Okay, yeah.
New York is known for fashion. Even the dogs here have fashion.
-Wow! -Oh! -Whoa.
Dogs wear nice sweaters, then they go outside and pee.
I think that's where Gossip Girl lives.
-Oh, Gossip Girl. -Hi, Blair!
WOOD: Boy, this tour guide thing sure was easy.
There's, uh, Chanel.
-Chanel! -Chanel! -And, uh, Alexander McQueen.
-Givenchy. -Yeah, it's down there.
Y'all know Givenchy?
Yeah, we're ambassadors for Givenchy.
-We're all ambassadors. -You're all ambassadors for Givenchy?
-Yeah. -This is Givenchy. This is Givenchy.
That's Givenchy? All that's Givenchy?
-All Givenchy. -We're all Givenchy girls.
-This is TJ Maxx. -OTHERS: Oh...!
(laughter)
Then it was off to the really expensive part of town.
-This is an American hospital. -Oh.
Don't stare at it too long, because it costs money
to look at an American hospital.
-What? -Our health care is so expensive,
it costs money just to look.
That was ten dollars right there.
This is where Spider-Man fought Green Goblin.
-Oh, Spider-Man? -Spider-Man?
Yeah. Um, also, I believe, in, um... Ghostbusters,
uh, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.
The Avengers had a big fight right here.
-Oh, yeah! -Yeah, I remember.
Yes, the Avengers, it was Thanos,
he came down, they was fighting all...
-Iron Man used to live... around the corner. -Whoa.
I was making progress. They were definitely impressed
with my knowledge of New York fights.
But wait until they see how famous I am.
What's up, boy?
Oh, yeah, if you see people recognize me,
it's 'cause I got a video did a million views.
-Congratulations! -I'll teach you all about...
-I'll teach you how to go viral. -Oh...
What's the most any of your videos have ever done?
Like, a hundred million views.
-A hundred million? -Yeah. -Yeah.
One video, y'all had one video do a hun...
-Yeah, one video. -One video.
-A hundred million? -Yeah.
(laughing)
Y'all...
-One hundred million? -Yeah.
-(laughing) -I got to get into singing.
Talk-talk to your people and see if y'all need,
like, one more member.
Do y'all need one more member?
If you don't mind, you know, dancing and singing...
-I can't dance. -Oh, then... -Um...
-I can't sing, either. -Oh.
WOOD: I was starting to think I was losing the band's respect,
so I decided to win it back
by heading to the hottest spot for Black performance
and the hottest spot for white gentrification.
This is Harlem.
That's the Apollo Theater right there.
-Theater. -Now, the Apollo Theater,
that's where so many comedians have gotten their start
and the rest got booed by strangers,
got booed so terribly that they almost gave up comedy
and their dreams... almost never came true.
-Aw. So sad! (chuckles) -Mm. So sad.
You know what? Let's go to karaoke.
-Oh, yeah! -Yay! -Yeah.
("Don't Stop Believin' by Journey playing)
♪ Just a small-town... ♪
WOOD: As I ended the tour with a rendition
of "Don't Stop Believin'" that was so good,
they asked me not to sing again,
I could tell that I nailed this tour guide thing.
But don't take my word for it.
Just look at their five-star reviews
that I made them type as I watched.
The only question was would they return the favor?
When I come to Seoul, you all can show me around.
-Yeah. -Course.
Cool. I'm bringing my avatar, too.
-Oh! -Oh!
But he's not staying with me 'cause he snores.
-Y'all got to find somewhere for him to stay, please. -Ah.