The first K-Pop group with all 11 members virtual: Let's get to know Eternity

Shortly defined as "K-pop", South Korean Pop Music has become a billion-dollar industry in the last 10 years by influencing Generation Z. Artificial intelligence (AI) has also opened a new page in music by bringing K-pop singers into the virtual world with deepfake (replacing a person in an image with the image of another person) and avatar technologies. Currently, K-pop has become one of South Korea's most lucrative and influential exports, gaining global fame for its catchy tunes, hi-tech productions, and dance moves. However, K-pop singers created in the virtual world caused South Korea's music culture to change "size".

As if it were real

The 2020 debut K-pop group Aespa was at the forefront of this trend, incorporating virtual avatars into their music projects. After Aespa, many groups that existed physically created their own avatars in the virtual universe Metaverse. K-pop girl group “Eternity” is the first group with all 11 members virtual. Created by deep learning technology company "Pulse9", Eternity has been viewed millions of times online since the release of their first single "I'm Real" in 2021. The group sings, dances and interacts with their fans in the virtual universe just like "real" groups.

MTV award winner

The physically existing girl group “Blackpink”, on the other hand, made history with their virtual avatars with their concert in Metaverse. The virtual concert, where more than 15 million people connect to popular online gaming platform PUBGM to watch Blackpink members' avatars perform in real time, won its first MTV award for "Best Metaverse Performance" this year. Metaverse's first K-pop idol, "Yuna", created by the global virtual K-Pop artist project "Seoul Stars" with the game company Cateon Gaming and K-pop agency HUMAP Contents, is K-Pop with three songs, artificial intelligence, and hyper-realistic appearance. 

A different half-billion-dollar world

Market consulting firm Emergent Research estimates that the digital human and avatar market size will reach $527.58 billion globally by 2030. At least 4 of K-pop's biggest entertainment companies are investing heavily in virtual items for their singers, and 5 of the top-paid K-pop groups of 2022 have caught the trend of virtual presence. Using virtual copies of singers allows them to reach their fans in ways real-world artists could never, breaking through time and language barriers.

Online bullying alert

Previously, online bullying of K-pop singers led to the suicide of some young K-pop stars, sparking a debate about cyber-oppression in South Korea. Stating that there are no regulations to prevent bullying and abuse in the virtual world and that they are rarely implemented, experts said, "The industry is full of cyberbullying and smear campaigns against successful stars." Adolescent psychiatrist Jeong Yu Kim pointed out that it is too early to know how the rise of virtual characters will affect young people. Speaking to the BBC, Jeong Yu said, "The real problem is that we can't see each other in real terms. You can be freer in virtual worlds, do things you can't do outside, or be someone else, but how real can they be? Jeff Benjamin, the K-pop columnist for the US-based music magazine Billboard, said, “There are many unknowns when it comes to artists and virtual singers in the Metaverse. Artists' lack of control over their own image is open to exploitation," he said. Experts also emphasized that the virtual world is open to harassment.