adminSEOUL. — Since releasing their debut single I’m Real in 2021, K-pop girl group Eternity have racked up millions of views online.
They sing, dance and interact with their fans just like any other band.
In fact, there’s mainly one big difference between them and any other pop group you might know – all 11 members are virtual characters.
Non-humans, hyper-real avatars made with artificial intelligence.
“The business we are making with Eternity is a new business. I think it’s a new genre,” says Park Jieun, the woman behind Eternity.
“The advantage of having virtual artists is that, while K-pop stars often struggle with physical limitations, or even mental distress because they are human beings, virtual artists can be free from these.”
The cultural tidal wave of Korean pop has become a multibillion-dollar force over the last decade. With its catchy tunes, high-tech production and slinky dance routines, K-pop has smashed into the global mainstream, becoming one of South Korea’s most lucrative and influential exports.
But the top K-pop stars, their legions of loyal fans, and the business-owners looking to capitalise 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 into a whole new dimension.
The virtual faces of Eternity’s members were created by deep learning tech company Pulse9. Park Jieun is the organisation’s CEO.
Initially the company generated 101 fantasy faces, dividing them into four categories according to their charms: cute, sexy, innocent and intelligent.
Fans were asked to vote on their favourites. In-house designers then set to work animating the winning characters according to the preferences of the fans.
For live chats, videos and online fan meets, the avatar faces can be projected onto anonymous singers, actors and dancers, contracted in 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 humans,” Park Jieun tells BBC 100 Women.
As deepfake technology moves into the mainstream, there have been concerns that it could be used to manipulate people’s images without permission or generate dangerous misinformation.
Women have reported having their faces put into pornographic films, while deepfakes of Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Volodymr Zelensky of Ukraine have been shared on social media sites.
“I’m always trying to make it clear that these are fictional characters,” says the CEO.
She says Pulse9 uses the European Union’s draft ethical AI guidelines when making their avatars.
And Park Jieun sees other advantages in virtual bands where each avatar can be controlled by their creators. “The scandal created by real human K-pop stars can be entertaining, but it’s also a risk to the business,” says the CEO.
She believes she can put these new technologies to good use and minimise risks for overstressed and pressurised K-pop artists trying to keep up with the demands of the industry.
Over the past years, K-pop made headlines for various social issues – from dating gossip to online trolling, fat-shaming and extreme dieting of band members. — BBC.
Online Reporter