PLAVE's Reversal: Can Virtual Idols Take Root in the K-Pop Market?

Article published: October 14, 2023

Original source: https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/469/0000765034

English translation: plaveintl

Avatars for Exposure, Humans for Communication: A Different Approach to Virtual Humans

Virtual idols break through barriers with real-time, intimate communication, lowering psychological hurdles

A recent live broadcast video of an idol group caused a sensation. The group was not unlike any other idol group, interacting with fans in real time by reading their comments, but it was a sensation nonetheless. That's because the group that hosted the live broadcast was a virtual idol group.

The group that caused the surprise was PLAVE. PLAVE, which debuted in March of this year, is a five-member virtual boy group consisting of Yejun, Noah, Bamby, Eunho, and Hamin. 

The surprise that virtual idols were now conducting live broadcasts and actively communicating with fans in the same way as actual idol groups was short-lived, and the surprise grew even greater when we looked at their activities so far.

PLAVE made its debut on MBC's "Show! Music Core" as the first virtual boy group, and it also participated in "relay dance" content and short-form challenges, continuing activities that were indistinguishable from actual idol groups. After releasing an album, it also held a video call event with fans. In fact, last month, the group appeared at an offline concert for MBC's radio program "Idol Radio" along with other top singers. When they performed on a large LED screen, the fans who filled the venue went wild. Surprisingly, the group that drew the most enthusiastic response at the time was PLAVE. Some fans even lined up at the venue the day before to see PLAVE.

Their actions are quite different from those of past virtual humans, such as Adam, the first virtual human singer, as well as the virtual human singers (or models, etc.) that have been released in recent years. The biggest difference is the involvement of real humans. While previous virtual human stars have focused on the "virtual" aspect based on AI technology, they offer a more realistic virtual idol by connecting each member to a real person. This is a system that uses motion tracking and real-time rendering technology to render the voices and movements of real people in real time.

This is also the biggest secret of PLAVE's popularity. The ability to communicate directly with fans, which had been considered one of the major weaknesses of virtual humans, became a reality. As they have seamlessly handled all of the content and events that fans can access from actual idol groups, from concerts to concerts, the psychological barriers to virtual idols have been significantly lowered. As virtual idols have gained realism, their fandom has quickly grown. They have attracted fans from various fields, including K-pop fans, fans who loved virtual humans and 2D characters, and those who were interested in virtual human technology.

The fact that there are no issues of privacy or contracts is also attractive. These are considered to be the biggest advantages of virtual humans. 

They can engage in fan activities just like an idol group composed of real people, and there is no risk of fans leaving the fandom due to a singer's personal issues. In a sense, they may be the perfect idol group that everyone has been hoping for.

It seems that the fact that they do not exist in the form of real humans in reality is not a major issue for fans who are currently enthusiastic about PLAVE. There are also a large number of fans who are enthusiastic about PLAVE's characteristics themselves, such as virtual humans and 2D characters, thanks to the presence of humans within PLAVE, which has reduced the distance from the absence of the real thing.

Of course, there is still a question mark about the long-term popularity of PLAVE. Despite overcoming various limitations, the characteristics of "virtual idols" raise questions about their ability to gain mass popularity. In addition, it is still difficult to predict the possibility that the fandom will leave for various reasons as time goes on.

Despite this, PLAVE's actions are evaluated as significant because they have ignited the virtual idol market, which was in danger of being shelved, and presented new possibilities. It remains to be seen how PLAVE, who are still in the process of adding to their repertoire through various attempts, will expand their presence and what changes their presence will bring to the K-pop market.