[Journalism Internship] Virtual idols dance toward K-pop dominance

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[Journalism Internship] Virtual idols dance toward K-pop dominance

Published: 22 Nov. 2024, 11:46

A scene from the music video ″Over″ (2023) by the virtual idol group Isegye Idol. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

Bae Jungwon, Chaehyun Kim, Shin Soyun, Kim Donghyun

Tens of thousands gathered at Songdo Moonlight Park one sunny day in late September last year, erupting into cheers as Isegye Idol, a six-member girl group, took the stage.

The excitement was no surprise, as expected for fans finally meeting their favorite idols in person — except the band, a so-called virtual idol group, did not need a physical presence to ignite the hype.

Virtual idols, crafted with advanced AI, 3-D modeling and motion-capturing technology to create digital avatars that sing and dance on stage, are revolutionizing the K-pop scene both economically and culturally, as their captivating digital personas emerge as the next big thing for the industry.

Virtual idol group Isegye Idol, which is managed by Parable Entertainment, rapidly rose to popularity with its advanced technology and unique fan experience.

From their debut in 2021, what made Isegye Idol stand out from the rest in the cutthroat industry was the developed technology that has provided realism to the characters, as the avatars are designed with precision and details with natural movement that make them life-like.

These avatars use Unreal Engine and MetaHuman technology, which allows for precise, real-time rendering of human-like features such as facial expressions, skin texture, and muscle movements.

Also with techniques like Generative Adversarial Network, the idols can dynamically generate facial expressions and gestures that are highly detailed and responsive, enhancing the character's realism, which makes their fans more engaged.

The virtual aspect of the group has created a chance to be an idol for a skilled individual.

The human being behind Lilpa, a member of Isegye Idol, who experienced a disbandment of her previous group had the avatar audition again for a virtual idol program that didn’t ask for her age and ultimately became a member of the group.

“Being a virtual idol was an incredible opportunity for me,” said Lilpa during an online interview on Sept. 20 of last year.

Fans watch a concert by virtual idol PLAVE in the Sounds Forest at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul. [HYUNDAI DEPARTMENT STORE]

At the center of another massive success story in the virtual K-pop scene is PLAVE, a five-member boy band that debuted last year.

PLAVE, managed by Vlast, sold 203,000 copies of their debut album "ASTERUM: The Shape of Things to Come" (2023).

According to Hanteo Chart, a domestic album sales-tracking site, their second mini-album, “ASTERUM : 134-1,” released in July recorded 569,289 copies in first-week sales to become a "half-million seller."

Notably, it placed 17th for the highest first-week sales for male groups on the chart, showcasing album sales power comparable to that of major idol groups.

PLAVE’s appeal lies in its unique identity as a self-produced idol group.

The five members — YeJun, Noah, Bamb, Eunho and HaMin — are real individuals whose appearances are presented in virtual form. Each member contributes to songwriting, composition, production and choreography, building an authentic musical identity similar to that of real K-pop idols known for their self-production skills such as (G)I-DLE or Stray Kids.

The group also fully capitalizes on its virtual identity with stage performances that would have been impossible in real-world settings.

During their “WAY 4 LUV” performance on “Show! Music Core” in August, they transitioned from their virtual world, Asteroid, to a real-world stage, with the members disappearing and reappearing in visually striking ways.

PLAVE has succeeded in forming a tight bond with fans as well.

Their strong online presence on fan platforms such as Weverse and DearU Bubble, where they interact directly, is especially notable, playing a significant role in attracting K-pop fans.

“I believed that although the technology is complex, we needed to create content that feels genuinely human,” said Vlast CEO Lee Sung-gu in a press conference in western Seoul in April.

“Our members did live broadcasts every week themselves, gradually building a bond with fans. I think that was the key to PLAVE’s success,” a strategy the group continues today.

PLAVE has also bridged the virtual and real worlds by holding offline events like pop-up stores, where they installed hologram photo booths allowing fans to take pictures with the virtual members, overcoming the limitation of nonphysical idols to reach a wide range of fans.

PLAVE’s pop-up store was highly competitive from the start. During the first round of reservations, which ran from March 1 to 9, demand was so intense that the server crashed upon opening. The second round, from March 10 to 17, was sold out as well. Over 20,000 people were estimated to have visited The Hyundai Seoul venue just to see PLAVE during the event.

The economic promise of virtual idols is being increasingly recognized, as highlighted by major investments and impressive crowdfunding results.

On April 24, HYBE, the agency behind BTS, invested 3 billion won ($2.24 million) in Vlast.

This investment valued Vlast at 80 billion won, reflecting confidence in the industry’s growth potential. YG Entertainment also invested 1 billion won in the company, reaffirming the appeal of virtual idol ventures.

The economic impact of virtual idols is further evident in their crowdfunding success.

Screen capture of the crowdfunding webpage the of “Magical Girl ISEGYE IDOL” project [SCREEN CAPTURE]

In January, the “Magical Girl ISEGYE IDOL” project raised 4.19 billion won, achieving 2,994 percent of its initial goal. Supporters who contributed 199,000 won received a variety of exclusive merchandise, including official manga volumes, a special photobook, holographic photocards and more.

Parable Entertainment has secured investments from Naver Z, the operator of the Zepeto metaverse platform. The company continues to attract venture capital interest, reinforcing its status as a virtual content leader.

According to market researcher Global Information, the virtual idol and YouTuber market is expected to soar to $4 billion in 2029 from $1.1 billion last year.

These developments demonstrate that virtual idols are not just a cultural phenomenon but also a lucrative business opportunity, driven by strategic investments and massive crowdfunding support.

Virtual idols are also considered to be opening up new opportunities for the industry from a cultural perspective, with more diverse and engaging content as well as potential for further overseas expansion.

The members of Isegye Idol were selected through a live-streamed audition in which viewers voted for them, and the group releases music written and composed by fans. It is also common for virtual idols to wear hairstyles and clothing drawn by fans as fan art.

Furthermore, virtual idols can lead to the globalization of the K-pop market by overcoming language barriers and cultural differences through customized content and AI-based translations.

Virtual idol APOKI, a Korean solo artist who debuted in 2019, has a wide global fanbase due to her effective use of the social media platform Tiktok as well as English subtitles. Thus, she was ranked No. 5 by HTC VIVE, a company that develops virtual reality display devices, on the “Top 100 Global VR Social Influencers of 2021.”

Another major advantage virtual idols have is that they are less likely to encounter ethical issues that human idols face.

They are relatively free from issues such as privacy infringement, sasaeng (obsessive) fans and unauthorized photography. As virtual idols aren’t constrained by physical endurance or scheduling conflicts, continuous content production is possible as well.

This will keep fans engaged, helping them form a robust fanbase.

“PLAVE has a strong domestic fandom. They have pioneered a new genre called virtual entertainment, and I think they will be loved globally,” said Vlast CEO Lee.

“They are gradually preparing for overseas broadcasts and concert appearances.”

BY BAE JUNGWON, CHAEHYUN KIM, SHIN SOYUN, KIM DONGHYUN [[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]]