The Student Newspaper of Oxford Academy

The Gamut

The Gamut

The Gamut

K-Pop metaverse: Enjoyment lies beyond the screen

K-Pop+metaverse%3A+Enjoyment+lies+beyond+the+screen
Sarah Li

In the past decade, K-pop’s energetic dances and electric melodies have drawn in millions of fans around the world — but the industry isn’t stopping there. K-pop companies are now branching out to audiences beyond the physical world and into the metaverse.

AI-generated idols who bop to catchy tunes on a virtual stage, the K-pop metaverse is a fast-growing trend. Popular groups like BLACKPINK have held metaverse concerts in addition to in-person performances, and other groups like ETERN!TY have debuted solely on the virtual stage with AI music videos. While real singers voice the characters in fully metaverse bands, idols’ movements are engineered by a team of animators and developers using an AI database of hyper-realistic movements to resemble the choreography of real K-pop groups.

Though the technology behind these metaverse groups is ground-breaking, it can not replicate the raw passion that audiences love. While the choreography is precise, the AI idols have no emotion behind their empty smiles. Creators try to distract audiences from this with the groups’ unique concepts: the members ETERN!TY are aliens looking for a way to save their home planet by learning about human emotions. However, the feigned cheerfulness and plastic expressions cannot supplement the engaging viewing experience and charisma that real K-pop holds standard.

Still, these metaverse idols remain highly attractive to K-pop companies. With no physical restrictions such as eating or sleeping, these AI idols can “work” for as long as the company wants them. Metaverse stars don’t deal with the emotional distress real idols grapple with — including facing hate comments, scandals, and mental exhaustion from having life restricted and surveilled.

Unlike real humans, these robots are perfect: they retain eternal youth, and their personalities can be modified to keep them relevant and distinguishable from other artists. Instead of demanding that real humans conform to unrealistic standards, starve themselves, and alter their personalities, companies create their own perfect idols, rather than forcing someone else to fit into a mold.

However, even if companies can digitally produce a realistic human, there’s something lost when viewing these shells of people — relatability. People don’t just watch performances because they are enchanted by the visuals or attractive faces. They enjoy seeing idols’ personalities in dances, chemistry with one other, and the little quirks that make them unique. While metaverse stars have glowing skin, skinny figures, and conventionally attractive features, aesthetic perfection can not supplement human passion. There’s no meaningful connection between real people and a concocted caricature.

Though the digital age has prompted millions of people to immerse themselves in the virtual world, metaverse performances aren’t worth the effort and money. K-pop isn’t something that should be stuck behind the screen.

About the Contributors
Lavanya Shyamsundar, Managing Editor
Lavanya Shyamsundar will be serving the Gamut this year as Managing Editor. As a senior, she’s looking forward to completing college applications and most importantly enjoying her last year in high school. Lavanya first joined the Gamut out of her own interest for journalism and love for the newspaper, wanting to find a place where she could write. And in her fourth and final year in the Gamut, she’s excited about all of the new content that the Gamut will produce this year, as well as supporting and improving the Gamut community as a role model. Outside of senior expectations and Gamut responsibilities, Lavanya is a pasta-loving, Indian classical-music-enjoying singer who enjoys thought-provoking topics that make you think about life. She loves food (as long as it’s vegetarian), and loves the colors purple and pink, self-titling herself as “the embodiment of pink.” She enjoys listening to bands like Lamp, Radiohead, and Cocteau Twins. And if you’re ever talking to her, she might hit you with one of her very specific would-you-rather questions to spice up the conversation. As she takes the next step in life, her one piece of advice to underclassmen as a senior is to push yourself to try new things, even if it’s hard.
Sarah Li, Senior Staff Artist
Entering her last year of high school and second year on staff, the diligent, reliable, and pragmatic Sarah Li will serve as an illustrator for The Gamut. Aside from anticipating the joys of friendship and her senior year, Sarah allocates her time to her academic interests and hobbies, serving as Cyber Patriot president and SrCC member in addition to drawing and crocheting. Sarah’s appreciation for writing stems from its ability to provide an outlet for her thoughts, while her passion for art enables her ideas and creativities. Remaining ideologically dynamic, Sarah has no extreme dislikes, opting to keep an open mind instead. Sarah, a self-described T-Rex is looking forward to illustrating for The Gamut this school year!
Activate Search
The Student Newspaper of Oxford Academy
K-Pop metaverse: Enjoyment lies beyond the screen