"There is a real person behind every virtual character."

Article published: July 27, 2023

Original source: https://www.chosun.com/opinion/every_single_word/2023/07/27/MMMTV3RK55BL7JEPRQG3JMWYZY/

English translation: plaveintl

Written by Kim Dasol, winner of the 2023 Chosun Ilbo New Spring Literary Criticism Award

I've developed a new hobby. I've become a fan of the virtual idol group PLAVE, created by a company called VLAST, and have started what's commonly known as 'fangirling.' 

Recently, with the rise of augmented reality, various elements such as remote interactions, metaverse, sub-characters, and K-pop have combined, giving birth to new forms of online professions like virtual YouTubers and idols. 

PLAVE has also established its own unique worldview, composed of five male characters, each with their own distinct background and settings. 

What sets them apart from entirely fictional virtual characters is the fact that real people are behind them, using motion-tracking technology to reflect their actions in real-time.

I would like to share a story that gave me a realization regarding this matter. While observing PLAVE for some time, I noticed a particular sentence that fans often mentioned.

It was, "There's a person behind this (virtual character)." 

Perhaps because seeing manhwa-like characters come to life and appear on mainstream music broadcasts is an unfamiliar experience, some people react strongly with aversion. 

Fans, on the other hand, repeatedly emphasize that "there's a person" behind the flashy characters and sophisticated technology, responding to those who express discomfort and criticism without hesitation.

As I observed that scene, a question suddenly crossed my mind: "What is my attitude as a critic when reading a novel?" 

Sometimes, I find myself trapped in the idea of analyzing the text precisely and searching for its meaning, without truly grasping the author's intentions. There is a risk of misinterpreting the love as intention or empathy as falsehood.

At moments like these, I must always remember that behind any piece of writing, there is a person, and there lies their genuine emotions.

In life, we often encounter things that defy common sense or situations that we can't understand based on our past experiences. However, many times, there's a person behind such issues. 

So, before making judgments, perhaps it's worth reminding ourselves of the sentence mentioned earlier: 

"There's a person behind this (virtual character)."