From number one on the Billboard charts to a Kocheok Dome concert... just how popular are K-pop virtual idols?

The five-member virtual boy group PLAVE recently made history by performing at KSPO for the first time as a virtual idol group's solo concert.
He sold out all the seats at the DOME (formerly the Olympic Gymnastics Arena). Holding a solo concert at a large venue that can accommodate up to 16,000 people was a first in the music industry.
It's a meaningful achievement, achieved two years after debut. ["PLAVE" opens a new era with virtual idols enthusiastically engaging in "otaku activities"]
Looking at the recent success of "PLAVE," it is no exaggeration to say that we are in the "golden age of virtual idols." "PLAVE," created by the content company Brest, is a virtual idol
Although they belong to Idol, they are not virtual characters based on artificial intelligence (AI), but real people who remain hidden. The five members are shown in the graphic game development tool OnRealEngine.
The unique feature of "PLAVE" is that it uses real-time motion capture technology to create a virtual idol form.
They have grown into a team with a large fan base and a strong music and album presence. They differentiate themselves from other virtual idols by emphasizing webtoon-style visuals rather than a 3D live-action style.
They brushed aside worries and are now scheduled to tour Asia, including Hong Kong, Jakarta, and Bangkok, as well as an encore performance at the Kocheok Sky Dome, which can accommodate approximately 20,000 people, in November.
Popular music critic Lim Hee-yoon said, "The atmosphere has completely changed to the point that the view that virtual idols are difficult to develop is meaningless," and added, "KSPO
The fact that the DOME is sold out shows that if you love content, you will be generous with your otaku activities regardless of your mobile phone."
[K-POP Demon Hunters tops Billboard charts...A seismic shift in the K-POP world is imminent]
The virtual idol phenomenon is also sweeping the music charts. As of the 20th, the top spot on major Korean music sites, including MelOn, Genie, Bugs, and FLO, was taken by K-Pop-themed songs.
The song is "Golden" by the virtual girl group "Huntrix" that appears in the Netflix animated film "K-POP Demon Hunters."
The song "Huntrix" has become a global phenomenon, and even a fandom for "Huntrix" has been formed. According to the Korea Music Content Association, the top 400 songs on the digital charts in July were
Music journalist Kim Jin-woo said, "The 'Demon Hunters' OST has breathed new life into the stagnant domestic music market."
"Golden's domination of the music charts is an example of how virtual idols, who don't have a person behind the character, can also create hit songs.
It is showing signs of reaching number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 this week. This is the ninth time a K-pop song has topped the chart, and the first time it has been a song not related to BTS.
[Expectations that the market will grow... Virtual idol debut rush]
While "PLAVE" and "Huntrix" are showing explosive firepower, new virtual idols are appearing one after another.
Recently, the girl group "IXIA" and the female duo "WISHes" have debuted one after another. SM Entertainment's Naevis is trying to make their appearance even more distinctive.
Na Byung-jun, CEO of Megameta, who produced "IXIA," said, "With the global popularity of K-content, the virtual idol market and fandom culture will continue to expand.
There are also predictions that virtual idols will cause a tectonic shift in the K-pop landscape in the future. Critic Lim Hee-yoon said, "The biggest advantage is that there is no risk to private life.
"We will see a phenomenon where virtual idols using generative AI technology surpass the popularity of human idols," he said.