ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) has really come a long way after innovations involving computers, automobiles, and other devices and machines.
It should not come as a surprise that AI has also reached the entertainment industry, giving birth to a new KPop group composed entirely of virtually-crafted members.
The all-girl AI group MAVE, whose name stands for Make New Wave, recently debuted in South Korea under Metaverse Entertainment. It is a subsidiary of South Korean mobile game developer Netmarble. MAVE was the first 4th generation KPop group to debut in 2023.
AI girl group MAVE during their virtual dance practice shoot. | Photo courtesy: Metaverse Entertainment
The meta group is composed of AI members MARTY, ZENA, TYRA, and SIU.
MAVE recently released its debut single album Pandora’s Box. It contains two records including the album title track Pandora and Wonderland (Idypia).
From left to right: MARTY, ZENA, TYRA, and SIU. | Photo courtesy: Metaverse Entertainment
The AI girl group also dropped the official music video for carrier single Pandora that showcases an enigmatic mixture of modern electronica and industrial rock sung by unique and soothing vocals.
What netizens say
AI-generated music videos are nothing new, especially in the KPop industry. Internationally-acclaimed girl group BLACKPINK has released its own AI version in partnership with a video game company. But many KPop fans were in awe of MAVE’s debut.
Aside from noting that the AI members looked like “real” people, netizens also praised the singers behind the virtual group.
Twitter users also commended MAVE’s spectacular performance, commenting that the song ensemble was good and the animators were able to produce sharp movements that enhanced the choreography of the group.
Meanwhile, other KPop stans poked fun at the newly-debuted group by comparing the members to real idols like ITZY’s Yeji, aespa’s Karina, LE SSERAFIM’s Chaewon and others, saying that these virtual idols look similar to them.
