Virtual idols that reach record success
Virtual Boy Group Plave is detaching one record after another, despite the strong competition during their releases. In particular, their latest album, “Caligo Pt.1”, has exceeded 1 million physical copies sold on Hanteo within just 1 week from the release, an impressive number in the middle of the drop in physical sales in Korea.
In addition, the songs of the recent albums of Plave are classified high in Korean charts, despite being in competition against popular idols such as G-Dragon, Ive, Blackpink’s Rosé and Apa. There was even talk of the fact that the current fandom of the group of boys is as strong as the Back in the day BTS, with various songs on the increase in digital ranks during the last hours.
Previously, in 2024, Plave also became the first group of boys of the year for the top 100 of Top Melon. In fact, historically, only five groups of K-Pop-BTS, Bigbang, NCT Dream, seventeen and Exo-Hon 1 number 1 boys (according to the updated ICHART), demonstrating the formidable presence of Plave in the digital music scene. In the same year, Plave also became the 2nd group of boys after BTS to have shots n. 1 back-to-back on the melon. The group flows have even passed the “digital monsters” such as Newjeans (now NJZ), demonstrating a huge charm.
Meanwhile, the group of virtual girls Mave also reached millions of views from its debut in 2023. Their first album, “Pandora’s Box”, has accumulated over 45 million waterways on Spotify (despite only 2 tracks) , while the title “Pandora” obtained 30 million views on YouTube. The song also became viral on short -shaped video platforms like Tiktok, becoming a trendy sound for the months to come.
The phenomenal popularity of the two groups confirms the increase in virtual idols in Korea.
The appeal of virtual idols
Virtual idols are stars created through artificial intelligence technology (AI), designed with apparitions, personality and activities similar to humans. With the rapid development of technology, the creation of virtual idols has become a profitable sector, generating enormous revenues.
The Plate, unlike many other virtual stars, actually includes real people behind virtual Sonas, with animated movements using motion-capture technology. Therefore, they resemble the case of the V-umbine tubers by the personalities of real people with 2D projects that appeal to a completely different set of consumers.
In the meantime, Mave’s appeal extends beyond their music. Fans admire the realistic personalities of the group, who are distinct and engaging like those of real idols, ranging from the charismatic leader Siu, the strong singer of the sweet voice Zena, the fierce rapper of “Girl Crush” Tyra, to the adorable member more Young Marty.
In addition, Mave impresses with multilingual communication skills. In addition to the Koreans, virtual idols can interact with fans in Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese and more.
Virtual idols: the growing tendency in music
Virtual idols are not only a Korean phenomenon, but are gaining fans globally.
According to a poll of the Chinese streaming platform Iqiyi, 64% of people aged between 14 and 24 are fans of virtual idols. The interviewees mentioned their preference for virtual idols because they adapt to the idealized image of perfection.
In fact, these idols are meticulously designed based on large research on the preferences of the public, making their widespread acceptance not surprising.
A first example is Hatsune Miku, an iconic virtual idol of Japan, which boasts a catalog of over 100,000 songs. The aspect inspired by the souls of Miku has conquered the heart of the fans in Japan, where the culture of manga and anime is deeply incorporated.
Thanks to advanced 3D technology, virtual idols can perform live concerts without fatigue, making their performances a show that fans anticipate impatiently. In addition, virtual idols are free from scandals that could ruin their career. They also maintain an eternally young aspect, an advantage in the ferociously competitive entertainment sector.
As technology advances, virtual idols continue to evolve to meet fans’ expectations. Their growing popularity seems inevitable in today’s digital era.
The risks of virtual idols
Despite their advantages, virtual idols involve risks. In 2022, Carol, a member of the Chinese virtual group A-Soul, suddenly disappeared, leaving the fans confused and distressed. The agency behind A-Soul explained that Carol’s departure was due to the real person behind her who needed to focus on health and studies.
The abrupt exit of Carol, the fans of the left discouraged. Many assumed that virtual idols could not be “eliminated” and could simply be replaced. However, the reality is that virtual idols do not control their destiny: they can be deleted at any time.
This raises concerns about the emotional investments that fans find themselves in virtual idols, since sudden disappearances can lead to disappointment and cracking.
