The Age of Virtual Artists: Storytelling Emerges as a Key Competitive Advantage

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, virtual artists are appearing one after another. It has been predicted that storytelling ability is key to the development of the virtual artist industry.

Lee Gyo-gu, CEO of AI audio company Supertone, emphasized at the '2024 MWM Conference' held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul in Hannam-dong on the 26th that "the virtual artist industry can grow when it focuses on the essence of storytelling." He stressed that "creating a narrative that resonates with and engages the audience is crucial." He argued that mere technological advancements will have limitations, and that drawing out the emotions and interest of fans through storytelling is a prerequisite for the sustainable success of virtual artists.

This conference was hosted by the Korea Music Content Association, and various topics regarding the future and sustainable development of the music industry were discussed. This year, in particular, discussions focused on the theme of 'The Expansion of K-pop - AI and Virtual Artists,' exploring the impact of AI technology advancements on the music industry and K-pop.

CEO Lee stated, "With the advancement of generative AI technology, an era has arrived where even ordinary people without musical expertise can create virtual artists." He warned that this could lead to an overproduction of virtual artists in the future. He predicted that, "Narratives created indiscriminately will ultimately struggle to find an audience, and storytelling will become even more important to address this issue."

Virtual artists have now reached a stage where not only their appearance but also their voices can be created using AI, and their influence is expected to grow further in the future. CEO Lee explained that virtual artists can become a significant part of the global music industry, including K-pop, and are likely to expand rapidly with technological advancements. In particular, the Korean K-pop market is actively adopting these technological advancements, and more opportunities are expected to be created in the future.

Legal issues related to music production using AI were also addressed at the conference. Park Jeong-ryeol, president of the Korea Copyright Protection Agency, shared the status of 'AI cover song' production and pointed out related legal issues. AI cover songs refer to songs sung by AI that has learned the voice of a specific person, and he explained that legal problems such as vocal rights infringement or copyright infringement can arise during this process. Recent investigations have revealed that 254 singers, including IU, have had their voices illegally used, suggesting that legal regulations will be strengthened in the future.

Success stories of virtual artists were also highlighted. From 'Adam,' a 'cyber singer' who debuted in 1998, to the virtual idol 'PLAVE,' which ranked No. 1 on terrestrial music broadcasts in 2023, virtual artists have steadily evolved throughout the history of Korean popular music. Kim Jun-woo, head of music at Riot Games, analyzed the success factors of the virtual artist 'K/DA,' which utilizes the company's game 'League of Legends' IP, explaining that the addictive music and the fact that members of the girl group (G)I-DLE provided their voices played a significant role.

Kim added, "It is statistically proven that game users have a high interest in music." He added, "Among Riot Games users, 70% have participated in music events, and 65% responded that they listen to music while playing games." These statistics show that virtual artists can be attractive content for both music fans and game fans.

Virtual artists must now go beyond mere technical implementation and radiate a more human appeal through communication and emotional connection with people. While the surreal characteristics of virtual artists can be attractive, excessive use can create a sense of distance. Therefore, experts agree that a narrative reflecting emotional elements and human warmth is essential for the success of virtual artists.

Seo Guk-han, chairman of the Korea Virtual Human Industry Association, analyzed the success strategies of virtual idols and stated that this emotional connection will determine the success or failure of virtual idols. Lee Sang-heon, CEO of Metarocket, presented various examples of the combination of virtual artists and K-pop, explaining the important position virtual artists will hold in the music industry in the future.

Initially, virtual artists gained popularity among a small group of enthusiasts, but they are gradually expanding their reach to a wider audience. In particular, the advantage of no privacy violations or accident risks allows fans to consume virtual artists more comfortably, and this does not differ significantly from traditional idol fandoms. For this reason, virtual artists are expected to become an important pillar of popular culture in the future.