Conquering Billboard and Securing Ambassador Role... The 'Virtual Power' Beyond Humans

As long as there is a loyal fandom, it doesn't matter whether it's a human idol or a virtual idol. With the popularity of the Netflix animation 'K-pop Demon Hunters', many singers have followed the song 'Golden' by the in-story K-pop girl group Huntrix or the dance of the boy group Sajaboys.

Finally, Huntrix's song 'Golden' reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart on the 12th, and on the same day, Korea's virtual idol Playv was appointed as the ambassador for 'Startup Seoul'. It is truly the era of virtual idols.

■ Major Agencies Entering Due to Playv's Success

Freelancer Kim Yeon-woo (27), a fan of K-pop and animation, is paying attention to the six-member virtual boy group 'Wego6', set to debut in the second half of this year. The members are being revealed sequentially and have started communicating with fans, which has been enjoyable to watch.

He said, "Whether human or virtual, dance, song, and character are most important," and "Virtual idols can perform surreal stage productions like flying in the air and have no personal life risks like personality controversies or school violence. I like the totality of them, including their human counterparts, and I don't want the human part to change or be revealed."

The domestic virtual idol group scene was opened in 2018 by the multinational girl group 'K/DA', composed of champions from the video game 'League of Legends'. The virtual broadcasting trend that started in Japan also gained attention domestically, marking a turning point. In 2021, the six-member girl group 'Issegae Idol (photo)', produced by Twitch streamer Uwakkud, debuted and dominated the music charts. In 2023, virtual idols combined with the K-pop system, such as Netmarble's 'MAVE' and Blast's 'Playv', showed that they could become new intellectual property (IP) in the K-pop market.

Among the four major entertainment agencies, SM Entertainment was the first to enter this business. In 2020, they introduced the girl group 'Aespa' with a metaverse concept where four human and avatar members coexist. Last September, they spun off 'Naevis', who appeared in the Aespa universe, for solo activities. HYBE, which acquired AI audio company Supertone, also launched 'SYNDI8' last year.

The protagonist writing a new history of virtual idols is Playv, belonging to the small entertainment agency Blast. Playv surpassed human singers to reach number 1 on the music platform Melon streaming chart in the first half of this year, showcasing a strong fandom. They proudly entered the fan platform Weverse as the first virtual idol. They signed a strategic agreement with HYBE Japan and entered Japan, the home of virtual idols, last June. They also started an Asia tour.

Debuts of virtual idols dreaming of being the 'second Playv' continue. Following the debut of the seven-member boy group 'Skins' by Bridge Entertainment in April and the female duo 'Wishes' by Grim Production in June, the four-member girl group 'Aisia' will debut on the 27th.

■ Changes in the Idol Industry Brought by AI Development

The virtual idol boom was made possible by the development of real-time 3D motion capture and facial tracking technology, enabling singing, dancing, and conversation like real people. They can even appear on real-time talk shows or variety programs. The reduced cost of high-definition live streaming and VR/AR performance production compared to the past also contributed. The explosive increase in demand for non-face-to-face performances and online concerts after the COVID-19 pandemic reduced resistance to virtual idols.

According to the '2024 Music Industry White Paper' published by the Korea Creative Content Agency, 43.4% of respondents were aware of virtual idols, with particularly high awareness among teenagers. Additionally, 60.9% of respondents who recognized virtual idols said they had listened to their music, with a relatively high proportion among teenagers.

Seo Guk-han, chairman of the Virtual Human Industry Association, said, "The success of Issegae Idol and Playv was due to their 'K-pop base', which differentiates them from Japan's virtual YouTubers," and predicted, "The achievements of Playv, who embarked on an Asia tour, will be an important barometer for gauging the global expansion potential of virtual idols."

Lee Jae-won, author of 'AI and Idols' and visiting professor of Culture and Technology Convergence at Sungkyunkwan University, said, "AI development has brought two changes to the idol industry," and "It attempts to replace idols with virtual beings and uses AI in the process of creating idol music-related content such as lyrics, composition, and choreography."

He explained the socio-cultural significance, saying, "The fact that 'Golden' by 'Kedeheon' topped the Billboard Hot 100 is not just due to the popularity of the OST but can be seen as a change in the way virtual beings are viewed. In Europe, the AI-generated virtual band Velvet Sundown topped various charts," and "The introduction of AI in the idol industry, where human creativity and authenticity are important, is redefining the overall idol industry, including the charm of idols, the novelty of music, and communication based on affection."


jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-ah Reporter