SEOUL \u2013 Whether the industry welcomes it or not, artificial intelligence has already become part of everyday life in K-pop.<\/p>\n
Since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022 accelerated the commercialisation of generative AI, the technology has reshaped productivity across industries \u2013 and K-pop has been no exception.<\/p>\n
Three years on, major entertainment agencies are actively incorporating AI into music production, artiste development and fan engagement, responding to an increasingly AI-driven global music market. Some have even unveiled robot idols, signalling how far the experimentation has gone.<\/p>\n
So how has AI entered the K-pop ecosystem so far, and where is it headed next?<\/p>\n
Among K-pop\u2019s \u201cBig Four\u201d agencies \u2013 Hybe, SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment \u2013 SM was the first to articulate an AI-centred vision.<\/p>\n
SM founder Lee Soo-man began predicting in the early 2010s that entertainment would evolve into \u201ca world of robots and avatars\u201d, positioning AI as central to K-pop\u2019s future.<\/p>\n
That vision materialised in 2020 with the debut of girl group Aespa, whose concept incorporated AI avatars known as \u201cae\u201d and embedded artificial intelligence and the metaverse into the group\u2019s core narrative.<\/p>\n
While SM approached AI conceptually and narratively, Hybe moved faster on the technical and operational front.<\/p>\n
Beginning in 2021, Hybe invested in AI audio start-up Supertone, eventually acquiring a majority stake in January 2023. That same year, Hybe showcased its applied AI strategy through Masquerade, the debut single of Midnatt \u2013 an alter ego of Big Hit Music artiste Lee Hyun.<\/p>\n
The song used AI extensively for multilingual pronunciation correction and voice design. Based on Lee\u2019s vocal data, AI generated near-native pronunciation and intonation in six languages \u2013 Korean, English, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish and Vietnamese \u2013 enabling simultaneous global releases.<\/p>\n
The technology also transformed Lee\u2019s voice timbre to perform a female vocal section while maintaining his tonal identity.<\/p>\n
Speaking at Brainstorm AI Singapore: The Age Of Intelligence in July, Supertone founder and chief executive Kyogu Lee said AI would expand creative possibilities rather than replace artistes.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cEvery creator and artiste will be able to explore and experiment with new ideas using AI technology.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is an opportunity for creators.\u201d<\/p>\n
In June 2024, Hybe deepened its commitment by launching Syndi8, a virtual pop group whose vocals are entirely generated by AI using Supertone\u2019s technology.<\/p>\n
Comprising four members \u2013 Canary, Next, Goyo and Raven \u2013 Syndi8 released its debut single MVP globally on June 27, 2024. The group operates within a fictional universe called Nansy Land, where voices are both the foundation of identity and the source of power \u2013 a narrative designed specifically around AI-generated sound.<\/p>\n
Deja and Han, the album\u2019s co-producers, said the project was inspired by Supertone\u2019s passion for technology and music.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe plan to connect with global fans through diverse activities that align with Syndi8\u2019s fantasy-driven worldview,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
Hybe\u2019s AI ambitions extend far beyond virtual artistes. Chair Bang Si-hyuk has repeatedly framed AI as the company\u2019s next core strategy, pushing Hybe to rebrand itself as an \u201cEnter-Tech\u201d company \u2013 a fusion of entertainment and technology.<\/p>\n
In a March 2023 interview with CNN, Bang warned of a looming \u201cK-pop crisis\u201d, arguing that technological innovation was essential to overcoming the physical limits of human artistes and ensuring long-term sustainability.<\/p>\n
A month later, he was even more direct in an interview with Billboard.<\/p>\n
\u201cI do not know how long human artistes can be the only ones to satisfy human needs and human tastes,\u201d Bang said. \u201cThat is becoming a key factor in my operation and a strategy for Hybe.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also called for a broader social consensus on the ethical use of AI in creative fields, urging society to engage with the technology rather than reject it outright.<\/p>\n
JYP Entertainment entered the AI race later than its peers.<\/p>\n
In December 2024, the company rebranded its subsidiary JYP360 as Blue Garage, positioning AI and platform technology as central to its business expansion. In September 2025, JYP officially announced plans to develop AI artistes and began large-scale talent recruitment, though tangible results have yet to emerge.<\/p>\n
YG Entertainment, meanwhile, has taken a more conservative approach. Rather than developing AI technology in-house, YG has focused on partnering with proven, tech-driven intellectual property.<\/p>\n
Its subsidiary YG Plus currently handles album and content distribution for Plave, one of K-pop\u2019s most successful virtual idol groups \u2013 allowing YG to gain commercial and data-driven insights without direct technological risk.<\/p>\n
Debuting in March 2023 under virtual IP start-up Vlast, Plave has emerged as a defining example of K-pop\u2019s \u201cEnter-Tech\u201d transformation.<\/p>\n
Unlike fully AI-generated idols, Plave uses real-time motion capture technology: human performers wear suits that translate their movements into live 3D characters, with AI refining facial expressions and motion to overcome the so-called \u201cuncanny valley\u201d.<\/p>\n
The approach has proven commercially viable. In March 2024, Plave became the first virtual idol group to top a local music show, winning first place on MBC\u2019s Show! Music Core.<\/p>\n
Their second EP, Asterum: 134-1, dominated Melon\u2019s Hot 100 and Top 100 charts and sold more than 560,000 copies in its first week.<\/p>\n
The group sold out an Olympic Hall fan concert in April, followed by two encore concerts at Gocheok Sky Dome in October, drawing a total of 40,000 fans \u2013 an unprecedented scale for a virtual act.<\/p>\n
In 2025, Plave entered KSPO Dome, widely regarded as the \u201cdream stage\u201d for South Korean artistes, and launched its first Asia tour less than two years after its debut.<\/p>\n
If Plave represents virtual AI, Galaxy \u2013 home to K-pop icon G-Dragon \u2013 is pushing AI into the physical world.<\/p>\n
Positioning itself as a \u201cmetaverse avatar company\u201d, Galaxy is developing humanoid robot idols designed to perform on real stages, interact with fans and exist beyond screens. Unlike virtual avatars, these robots are envisioned to dance, appear at fan events and engage audiences face-to-face.<\/p>\n
At the start-up conference ComeUp 2025 in December 2025, Galaxy chief executive Choi Yong-ho unveiled the company\u2019s roadmap, forecasting an era where real idols, virtual idols and robot idols coexist within a hyper-converged entertainment ecosystem<\/p>\n
A humanoid robot performed choreography to G-Dragon\u2019s Power onstage during the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are only at 1 or 10 per cent of what is possible,\u201d Choi said. \u201cWe will continue challenging what once seemed impossible to create a new future.\u201d THE KOREA HERALD\/ASIA NEWS NETWORK<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SEOUL \u2013 Whether the industry welcomes it or not, artificial intelligence has already become part of everyday life…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":214582,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[345,343,344,85,46,125],"class_list":{"0":"post-214581","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-artificial-intelligence","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-artificial-intelligence","10":"tag-artificialintelligence","11":"tag-il","12":"tag-israel","13":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=214581"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/214581\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/214582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=214581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=214581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=214581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}