In 2022, the Korean Pop industry garnered 11 trillion South Korean Won in sales, the equivalent of roughly $8 billion USD. I first got into Korean pop music in 2019, during the height of the “Hallyu”, also known as the Korean Wave. BTS, arguably one of the biggest K-pop acts of all time, gained international recognition and opened up the floodgates to Korean music culture for domestic fans like myself. Since that fall in 2019, I considered myself an avid K-pop fan, immersing myself in the culture and what it means to be a fan of the genre’s many boy and girl groups.
In the first half of 2023, I stumbled across something. While casually browsing X (formerly Twitter) I saw photos of what appeared to be anime-style characters with distinct hair, names, and set musical positions within a group coined “PLAVE.” After investigating, I learned the avatars I saw were members of one of the first virtual Korean pop groups. In the coming months, the group PLAVE has revolutionized the Korean pop music industry and garnered success unseen before. Analyzing the inception and story of the virtual group PLAVE, we can see how technology is changing how we see music performed.
WHO ARE PLAVE?
PLAVE is a South Korean virtual boy band under the company VLAST. VLAST markets itself as “a Pioneering Virtual Entertainment Company shaping the future of communication with the groundbreaking use of real-time graphics powered by a game engine.” Utilizing motion-tracking suits, real-life idols and musicians perform, sing, and dance in gear to be used for their virtual counterparts- the virtual members that make up PLAVE. With the same technology, VLAST uses real performers and digitally mimics these using webtoon (virtual comic books) style avatars to create the group known as PLAVE. Real people are behind the virtual personas depicted in music videos and social media content.
PLAVE is the combination of the word “Play” and the French translation of dream “Reve,” mirroring the company’s foundations and its aim to bridge music with new technology. The virtual group consists of five members: Yejun, Noah, Bamby, Eunho, and Hamin. Each has a distinct visual appearance and a set position in the group, which aims to replicate the dynamic of already established music groups.
WHAT LEAD TO THE EARLY SUCCESS OF PLAVE
Only being in the industry for less than 2 years, PLAVE has amassed over 47 million views across all their music videos and nearly 1.5 million followers across their social media platforms. Their debut single album, Asterum, sold more that 138,000 copies worldwide, with their follow-up EP selling more than 500,000 copies worldwide, earning them a platinum certification in Korea. The trend of high-selling albums allowed them to be ranked as #1 on Korean music shows and earn a reward for showcasing their success. On April 13th and 14th of 2024, the group hosted their first ever virtual concert at the Olympic Hall in Seoul Olympic Park, selling out a 4,000 capacity arena within 10 minutes of tickets going on sale.
Yet, the economic success of PLAVE dulls in comparison to the sheer amount of support the group has received from fans. There are fan bases across TikTok, Instagram, and X dedicated to posting regular updates and content relating to the group and an abundance of fan edits and unboxings of the physical albums on YouTube. Fans of the group are called “PLLI”, a combination of “play” and “reality” to symbolize the relationship between fan and artist, and the group regularly showcases their appreciation for their fans by constantly going on YouTube live, where we can watch and interact with them.
WHAT MAKES PLAVE UNIQUE
Virtual idols are becoming increasingly popular as they can showcase the real idol’s authentic talent by using a 3D model to showcase it. The avatars represent a virtual representation of the real performers themselves and allow the music to speak for itself. Without knowing the identity of the true members, we are free to like the music for what it stands for and engage with the virtual counterparts provided by VLAST. In this sense, we are providing anonymity for the real people but supporting them in their dreams and endeavors, something that is much needed in the music industry as there have been more concerns about respect, privacy, and boundaries for popular music artists.
Additionally, virtual groups allow music to speak for itself and dissociate from attaching a performer to the artform. Instead, by using a virtual artist, the music serves as an entity that can be understood and judged based on what is presented. The visual aspect afforded by ‘virtual idols’ allows consumers like myself to attach to a character and their portrayal, not a person, and can help create a healthy relationship between the music and the fans.
WHY PLAVE IS NOT AI
The debate on whether or not PLAVE is AI has been circulating since the group’s inception. In the music industry, there has been a surge of “AI” tools assisting the creation of melodies for artists, and there are a plethora of AI covers on TikTok where users program an AI device to cover a song using a different artist to sing it. PLAVE derives from AI because they are not being programmed based on a pre-established model by the company. As mentioned, VLAST uses motion-tracking sensors to closely monitor various aspects of the real life performers; this includes their dancing, singing, facial expressions, subtle movements, hair, and even the fabric of the clothes. As this editing is being applied in real time, there might be minor glitches in the 3D models, proving authenticity with the technology used in.
This technology is not unfamiliar, as one of the most popular usages comes from the blockbuster film Avatar where motion tracksuits were combined with CGI. PLAVE is not the first to use this technology- VTubers (Virtual Youtubers) use full-body avatars, 3D animation, and motion capture systems like Mocopi to bring their characters to life virtually. Creating a virtual identity is vigorous and intense, as it is a working collaboration between artists and tech. Though not unique in using the technology, PLAVE’s delivery and presentation mimics the conditions set by Korean boy and girl groups, adding to the allure.
WHY PLAVE IS WORTH LISTENING TO
PLAVE symbolizes a different and widely celebrated change in the music industry, dictated by the love of music and the allure of new technology. PLAVE can showcase duality by letting fans into a world they have created and letting music speak as their voice. It is important to understand the impact of the group, even though their success is recognized in Korea, as it sets a tone for how Western music can resort to virtual agents for more ‘faceless’ music artists. I am personally drawn to PLAVE because of their music, and how the avatars have distinct personalities that mesh well and create a sense of unity among a team. I will never know the true identity of the 5 boys, however I am not compelled to find out as I am content with the reality they have presented through their art, work, and 3d form.
