Blurring the lines: A mixed reality K-pop girl group
I’m sure virtual avatars are not a new concept, — think the likes of Vocaloid pop star Hatsune Miku, VTubers, and virtual influencer Lil Miquela. But what about virtual avatars as an extension of real humans living alongside one another?
There’s been much buzz lately surrounding the upcoming debut of new girl group aespa by SM Entertainment. Being South Korea’s largest entertainment company and “Big 3” in K-pop means any new debut will garner a lot of interest. But with aespa, it’s also the group’s unique concept that’s been keeping people talking. Aespa’s member line-up consists of Karina, Winter, Giselle, Ningning, and the virtual avatars of each of these girls. The name ‘aespa’ is derived from ‘Avatar X Experience’ and ‘aspect’, with it meaning ‘Experiencing a new world via the encounter of the ‘avatar’, your other self’. Yeah, SM Entertainment and their futuristic idol group names (I mean… Neo Culture Technology (NCT) as a group name?)
So what can we expect from this reality-virtual tie-up? In their promotional videos, each member is introduced alongside their virtual avatars, and an additional video for Karina shows her interacting with her avatar. A few terminologies were brought up — NAVIS, SYNK and REKALL. NAVIS is the artificial intelligence (AI) system that connects the virtual avatars with their real-life counterparts. SYNK is the platform for communication between the two, which is predicted to be released as a mobile app for fans. REKALL is the time the real and virtual members spend together in the real world.
As explained by the founder himself — Lee Soo Man, with aespa, he wanted to create a different sense of pleasure and fun by creating a mixed-reality world that fans could immerse themselves in. The real and virtual members will come and go between their worlds, interact and perform together. However, these virtual members will not be limited to solely corresponding to the real members’ activities, instead, they will have their own “AI brain”, allowing them to function independently. They can create content in the virtual world (I’m guessing it will be accessible through an app — SYNK) while the real members carry out their idol duties offline. And through AI or holograms, these avatars can be with fans in their own homes, creating an intimate experience for them. Essentially, they will be able to do things with fans that the real idol members physically can‘t.
Now that sounds like an episode of Black Mirror doesn’t it? I’m just thinking about how weird it is to befriend a digital version of yourself….that is supposed to have a brain on its own? What happens when your digital self behaves a certain way that you wouldn’t? Too many questions.
Surely, it’s an innovative concept that isn’t all too unfamiliar — In the past year or so, popular MOBA game League of Legends has had much success with their virtual pop group K/DA. Bringing together champions of the game and voiced by real-life singers, their debut track Pop/Stars topped global charts and music video garnered nearly 400 million views. The singers even performed alongside the virtual avatars in a live performance.
But unlike aespa, K/DA was born a virtual pop group merely voiced by real singers. A concept where both humans and their virtual selves co-exist surely does not bode as well with the public.
Mainly, people are concerned with this concept dehumanising the K-pop idols — equating them to dolls, treating them as objects, and reaffirming the stereotype of K-pop as ‘robotic’. Will the connection with the avatars even create the same human connection between fans and their idols that have kept the K-pop industry thriving for so long? And of course, the ‘upgraded’ look of the avatars raises concerns about unrealistic body image and hypersexualisation, technology opening doors wide to abuse, and will fabricating a relationship with the idols lead to even more serious sasaeng (overly obsessive fan) syndrome?
Personally, I think the concept has its merits — using the virtual avatars to create more content round the clock without overworking the members will only be a good thing for fans. However, it is when these avatars have a mind of its own and are supposed to be identical to their human counterparts, that it becomes rather unsettling and problematic. Aespa’s debut track is set to launch on 17th November, so it may still be too early to judge. Will aespa be a major flop, or will they be the future of pop? I’d definitely be staying tuned.
