(ANN/KOREA HERALD) – Virtual idols, once a niche subculture, are quickly becoming a mainstream phenomenon in the K-pop industry, with major agencies like SM Entertainment and Hybe leading the charge. These virtual artists fall into two main categories: virtual characters operated by real-life performers and those entirely powered by artificial intelligence.
One of the most notable successes in the virtual idol landscape is Plave, a group of five virtual idols with real-life counterparts. Since their debut on March 12, 2023, with the single Asterum, Plave has rapidly climbed the ranks. Their hit track See That? topped MBC’s music program Show! Music Core on August 31, beating out prominent competitors like Nmixx.
Plave’s second mini-album also catapulted them into Melon’s prestigious Billions Club, achieving over 1 billion cumulative streams. Remarkably, the group reached this milestone faster than any other K-pop act, breaking the previous record of 498 days set by NewJeans.
Expanding their global reach, Plave partnered with Hybe Japan for promotions and held an encore fan concert, Hello, Asterum!, at Seoul’s Jamsil Arena in October.
Meanwhile, SM Entertainment has launched Naevis, its first virtual idol entirely created through artificial intelligence. Debuting on September 10, Naevis’ first single, Done, garnered over 1 million YouTube views within a week. Designed for both 2D and 3D performances, Naevis has been strategically integrated into the aespa universe as a virtual world assistant.
“Naevis has been developed to engage with a wide range of content, media, and platforms,” explained Park Jun-young, chief director of SM Entertainment’s virtual IP center. She even featured in aespa’s B-side track Welcome to My World from their third EP, My World.
Not to be left behind, Hybe introduced Syndi8 in June 2025, a 2D virtual K-pop girl group with four members.
As virtual idols from leading agencies redefine the boundaries of K-pop, the entertainment industry is keenly observing how these digital artists will shape the market. Their success hinges on their ability to integrate human-like characteristics into their virtual personas, creating deeper connections with fans.
This feature is part of a series exploring the intricate world of K-pop, offering insights into the music, artists, fans, and business that drive this global phenomenon.
