From 'Rozy' to 'Han Yua', Can Virtual Singers Replace K-POP Stars?

Smilegate Enter's 'Han Yu-a' Debuts First Album This April
Voices Predict K-POP Future Amid Rising Virtual Human Singers
Experts Say "Replacing Real Singers Is Not Easy"

Smilegate Virtual Artist Hanyu-a Album Photo

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lee Seohee] With virtual influencers such as Sidus Studio X’s ‘Lozi’ and Smilegate Entertainment’s ‘Han Yua’ entering the music market, various voices are emerging predicting the future of the K-POP market. Opinions clash between those who believe that even with advanced technology, virtual human singers will find it difficult to replace real singers, and those who foresee a near future where virtual human singers will compete alongside K-POP artists.

On April 12th, virtual celebrity Han Yua released her first single, "I Like That." Smilegate Entertainment and CJ ENM collaborated on the production of the track, with producer Park Woosang, who has consecutively produced hits such as Mamamoo’s representative songs "HIP" and "You Better Know," participating in the composition. Producer Park is also known for composing original soundtracks (OSTs) for popular dramas.

More virtual human celebrities are officially signing contracts with entertainment agencies and releasing albums with the support of famous producers. Lozi, a virtual influencer created before Han Yua, debuted as a singer by releasing her first single "Who Am I" in February this year. Music Vine participated in the planning and production process, and Jung Jaewon of ‘Vanillaman,’ who produced albums for Bolbbalgan4, took part in the production. Another virtual influencer, Kim Raeah, has signed with Mystic Story, the agency of singer Yoon Jongshin, and is currently preparing for her debut as a singer.

Virtual Human Celebrities from Around the World

The public’s reaction to virtual human singers is mixed. Generally, people express curiosity, saying things like “It’s amazing” when they see virtual humans exhibiting expressions and movements as natural as humans. In fact, when virtual human Lozi officially introduced herself to the public in July last year, a YouTube video of an insurance company commercial featuring her surpassed 20 million views within five months of posting. Netizens who watched the video commented, “Real models might lose their place. Lozi is so charming,” and “When I first saw the commercial, I thought she was a real person. The eyes looked a bit awkward, but it seems like just a retouch.”

However, this buzz did not translate into music chart success. The recent music chart performance of virtual human singers who debuted as singers has been underwhelming. Han Yua’s debut track "I Like That," created with the involvement of top experts in the music industry, failed to enter the top 1000 on Melon, Korea’s leading music streaming site. Lozi’s single album "Who Am I," which has higher recognition than Han Yua, also disappeared without charting.

Experts predict that virtual human singers will find it difficult to replace actual K-POP singers. Cultural critic Jung Deokhyun said, “The public wants ‘artists,’ not just ‘performers.’ Looking at the current music market, singers who have their own unique color and identity are competitive, not just those who sing and dance. However, the virtual human singers appearing now are at a similar level to the era in the 1990s in Korea when production companies controlled everything and idols performed according to that preparation.”

There was also an opinion that a shift in ‘perception’ is more important. Critic Jung said, “It may not be a technological issue but a matter of how much the public can accept it. Even if virtual human singers seem unnatural compared to real humans, if a time comes when they are recognized and accepted simply as one of many artists in the K-POP culture, an era where virtual human singers actively promote like K-POP stars could arrive sooner than expected.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.