2023-08-06 05:15:08
An oversized projection of K-pop idol Shin Yu-na, better known as Yuna, of South Korean band Itzy, during a performance at KCON LA 2022, an annual convention celebrating K- Korean pop and culture, in Los Angeles, California on August 20, 2022. BING GUAN/REDUX-REA
“It’s impressive, the chat unfolds like a true and authentic dialogue. » Kpopmap, a site specializing in K-pop (South Korean pop), was able to talk to rapper Mark Tuan’s artificial intelligence (AI) avatar, officially unveiled on Friday July 21. And “Digital Mark” is more real than life. Its responses are crafted with ChatGPT’s AI. He can read facial expressions and react appropriately, with humor for example, to the mood of his interlocutor.
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The character, however, is just one of the new products designed using AI by the K-Pop industry, which is working hard to develop virtual stars and groups, more flexible to “use” than humans, and above all more interesting economically… even artistically?
“Eternity only feeds on electricity”, quips Park Ji-eun, leader of Pulse9, in her office located close to Seoul City Hall. In March 2021, her start-up launched girl group Eternity. Its eleven members were created at the end of a competition which was to designate the most beautiful faces among one hundred and one drawn by an AI, from millions of photos. Then Pulse9 made the first videos with the star agency The Muse. “At the beginning, it was difficult, because the faces appeared fixed. There were many reviews”, recount Park Ji-eun. Today, Eternity’s videos appear surprisingly realistic.
“We always need people”
Pulse9 avatars haven’t completely squeezed out the actual artists so far.. “We always need humans for choreography or meeting with fans, essential in the life of a K-pop group. For Zae-in, the star of the group, we use ten actors and dancers. But our next goal is to do everything by computer”, explains Park Ji-eun. The latter promises a first song made entirely by AI for the Eternity concert which will take place in October in Seoul.
Eternity exemplifies the speed of AI progression, which offers endless possibilities. No more need to train for years in academies of young people who can then have physical problems or ultimately disappoint.
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The virtualization trend is not new. Digital doubles of flesh-and-blood stars already exist. They even seem, for their promoters, just as promising as the purely virtual characters, the real stars always playing their role as instigators of trends.
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