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K-pop: The rise of virtual girl bands

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Since releasing their debut single I’m Real in 2021, K-pop girl group Eternity has garnered millions of views online.

They sing, dance and interact with their fans just like any other band.

In fact, there’s one major difference between them and any other pop group you might know – all 11 members are virtual characters.

Non-human, hyperreal avatars created with artificial intelligence.

“The business we’re doing with Eternity is a new business. I think it’s a new genre,” says Park Jeon, the woman behind Eternity.

“The advantage of having virtual artists is that, while K-pop stars often face physical limitations, or even mental problems because they are human, virtual artists can be free of them.”

The Korean pop culture wave has become a multibillion-dollar force in the past decade. With its catchy lyrics, high-tech production and slick dance routines, K-pop has gone global, becoming one of South Korea’s most lucrative and influential exports.

But K-pop’s top stars, their legions of loyal fans, and business owners looking to capitalize on their success are all looking to the future.

With the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI), deepfake and avatar technologies, these pop idols are taking their fame to a whole new dimension.

The virtual faces of Eternity members were created by deep learning tech company Pulse9. Park Jeon is the CEO of the organization.

Initially the company created 101 imaginary faces, dividing them into four categories according to their attractiveness: cute, sexy, innocent and intelligent.

Fans were asked to vote for their favourites. In-house designers are then set to work animating the winning characters according to fans’ preferences.

For live chats, videos and online fan meetings, avatar faces can be projected onto anonymous singers, actors and dancers contracted by Pulse9.

The technology acts like a deepfake filter, bringing the characters to life.

“Virtual characters can be perfect, but they can also be more human than human,” Park Geun told JEE News.

As deepfake technology becomes more mainstream, there are concerns that it could be used to manipulate people’s images without their permission or create dangerous misinformation.

Women have reported putting their faces in pornographic films, while deepfakes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have been shared on social media sites.

“I always try to make it clear that these are fictional characters,” says the CEO.

Plus 9 uses the European Union’s ethical AI guidelines when creating its avatars, she says.

And Park Jeon sees other advantages in virtual bands where each avatar can be controlled by their creators.

“A scandal created by real human K-pop stars can be entertaining, but it’s also a business risk,” says the CEO.

She believes she can put these new technologies to good use and reduce the risks for overstressed and stressed K-pop artists trying to meet the demands of the industry.

Over the years, K-pop has made headlines for various social issues – from dating gossip to online trolling, fat-shaming and extreme ostracism of band members.

Following the tragic deaths of young K-pop stars, the genre has also fueled conversations about mental health and cyberbullying in South Korea, which many believe has had a significant impact on their followers.

In 2019, singer and actress Sally was found dead in her apartment, aged 25. He reportedly took a break from the entertainment industry after being “physically and mentally affected by the malicious and false rumors spread about him”.

Her close friend Go Hara, another bright K-pop artist, was also found dead at her home in Seoul soon after. Before taking her own life, Gu was fighting for justice after being secretly filmed by a boyfriend, and was being abused online.

Threat or assistance?
For human stars working around the clock to train, perform and interact with their fans, the help of an avatar in the virtual world can provide some relief.

Han Yoon, 19, is the lead singer of mimiirose, a newly launched girl group managed by YES IM Entertainment in South Korea.

She spent nearly four years as a trainee, waiting for her chance to step into the limelight – and one of many candidates who had to undergo monthly reviews. Those who did not make sufficient progress were dropped.

“I was very upset about not being able to debut,” says Yvonne.

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