Geline Salac

Virtual idol group PLAVE hits the right note with K-pop, tech and humor

Article (news)

Reuters Wires

(UPDATED) With their catchy tunes, slick dance moves and full capacity concerts, boy band PLAVE might look like any other rising K-pop idols -- except the members are presented as two-dimensional avatars being controlled by real people.The group recently became the first virtual artist to enter into the prestigious Billboard 200 global chart and their songs and content have racked up over 470 million YouTube views in total.The members of PLAVE - YEJUN, NOAH, EUNHO, BAMBY, and HAMIN - spoke to Reuters in a virtual interview, after they had performed to thousands of fans in Seoul.“We don&#x27;t often get to meet our fans. So, when we meet PLLI (PLAVE&#x27;s fandom name) at a concert, we get very excited,&quot; said BAMBY, the pink-haired and pink-eyed member of the group.Unlike some other virtual music groups, the group&#x27;s label VLAST said there are individual humans behind each character, using motion-capture technology to relay their actions.PLAVE&#x27;s virtual performances are powered by human artists who lend their talents to the 2D avatars. Lee Sung-gu, CEO of VLAST, said that fans are receptive to this approach.The group&#x27;s live shows utilise an innovative motion capture system, connecting the studio to the concert venue in real-time and allowing performers to gauge fan reactions on the fly.For Chang Ya Han, a 30-year-old fan from Taiwan, the line between virtual and real-life idols blurs when it comes to PLAVE.After discovering the group on Instagram, she&#x27;s become deeply invested, citing the love and motivation they inspire as reasons she&#x27;s drawn to them. “The feeling is the same,” she said, surrounded by fellow fans in Seoul.PLAVE&#x27;s label strictly prohibits efforts to unmask the people&#x27;s identities as the fact that real artists give life to these virtual characters, which sets them apart. The idol group put out various content - including music videos, gaming, and chats.Virtual acts aren&#x27;t new to the music scene. According to Kim Do-heon, a Seoul-based music critic, predecessors like British virtual band Gorillaz, South Korea&#x27;s Adam - a &#x27;cyber singer&#x27; from 1998 - and Japan&#x27;s Vocaloid voice-synthesizing software have paved the way for virtual performers like PLAVE.PLAVE&#x27;s success, however, hinges on interaction with fans, similar to VTubers -- characters animated by motion capture with a loyal following on streaming channels, he added.VLAST, a &#x27;virtual entertainment&#x27; startup, said it received equity investment from K-pop labels HYBE and YG Plus early last year.It was a strategic minority-stake investment to help efforts to venture into the international market, a YG Plus official said.The company also plans to invest in equipment this year to simultaneously record and broadcast from up to eight cameras for a better concert viewing experience, Lee added.Members of PLAVE said they want to collaborate with Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber, and perform on global stages.&quot;I want to perform at the GRAMMY Awards. I think we can do it,” YEJUN said.(Production: Minwoo Park, Angie Teo)

With their catchy tunes, slick dance moves and full capacity concerts, boy band PLAVE might look like any other rising K-pop idols -- except the members are presented as two-dimensional avatars being controlled by real people.

With their catchy tunes, slick dance moves and full capacity concerts, boy band PLAVE might look like any other rising K-pop idols -- except the members are presented as two-dimensional avatars being controlled by real people.

Virtual idol group PLAVE hits the right note with K-pop, tech and humor

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Virtual idol group PLAVE hits the right note with K-pop, tech and humor

Reuters

Published May 01, 2025 10:25 AM PHT

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Updated May 02, 2025 02:38 PM PHT

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