How to popularize fake characters in the meta-world? SM submitted the job.

In a country where there is controversy over how long the beautiful artist "Yoo Ye-hee" will be popular, Korean girl group Wonwoo Espa started winning the awards last year and has become the newest group in the world. girls this year. Korean economy this year.

Unlike virtual teams, Espa, which focuses on a mix of VR and reality, has created an "8 member women group" with 4 real members from China, Japan and Korea and 4 members from AI modeling for real 1: 1 members, right from its inception, singing, dancing and modeling were all very futuristic.

A group of women formed by SM, a Korean company. In the recently released Apple Music Korea 2021 annual ranking, Espa, two songs "Next" and "Black Mamba" took 2nd and 9th place and 4 crowns respectively at the 2021 MMA Awards. Even in Korea, where the idol industry is established, it is very rare that the performance is achieved in the first year of its debut.

So far, it can be said that this is an example of a “meta-universe idol” in the global market.

As Guotai Junan analyst said, “If you compare the metaverse to the cruise ship of the future, virtual characters are the first ticket. You have already taken the lead. Trust Espa on the Yuan Cosmos mower.

Decision of the world of espa and SM culture

Meanwhile, during 4th or 5th generation of Korean women fighting, Espa childbirth and eruption still makes sense among fans and existing women's groups doing business.

Espa are an idol group that SM first unveiled in six years after Red Velvet, and it will take a long time to get ready and geared up. However, at the same time during the early days, the group's public opinion differed greatly, as issues such as "violation of SM facial expression" and "fuzzy" employees are constantly being questioned.

In addition, unlike the holy, sexy, and maiden bust models commonly used by Korean girls, the Espa brand, dance and makeup, everything is all about 'knowing the future of technology', which is rare so far.

There was a popular rerun on the debut album "Savage". When SM started Espa, the days of idol singing and dancing were over ...

With a unique style and concept, espa is like SM's first experience to explore future idols.

To end this experience,SM created a global perspective specifically for metaglobal themes for espa, and the constant publication of new work has always resulted in similarities in descriptions.

The story of the two main songs "Black Mamba" and "Next Level" released by ASPA is linked to four real members and one virtual character (the real name besides "Ae" is the AI ​​member's name. ). By "SYNK", the virtual world where ae lives is called FLAT, and the irregular, amorphous field at one end of FLAT is called KWANGYA (fauna). One day, the villainous Black Mamba, walking in the wild, interrupted the "SYNK" signal for the members to chat with A ..

'Savage', launched last October, continues the story of one or two songs, and the new avatar nevis has emerged as a contact and instruction from members and A, helps owners travel the virtual and real world. A series of interesting adventures.

Avatar Navis du MV "Savage"

SM formed the basis for a global vision of Espa across the team. Based on the identification that the Up nine theme is a natural number, a circle connecting the virtual world and the real world in Espa's "Savage" appeared in SuperM and EXO's three-round VCRs. Wild Times with Black Mamba also appears in the NCT trailer.

In addition, SM has developed a new type of idol group that makes the field of virtual reality and virtual reality very long until the technology and public awareness is mature, and it can be seen that Espa was finally released last year. , and this marks the beginning of the global meta-years.

According to SM's quarterly financial report this year, the “going red” visual has nothing to do with the interest and support of the subordinate group, and the birth of the meta-global strategy. Consolidated financial sales in the first quarter of this year were 495 billion won, compared to 395.672 billion won in the same period last year, with net profit of 40.09 billion won and certainly 10 billion won at the same period last year. 177.6 billion yuan.

Image source @ 是 是 Video screenshot of natural water

SM's wider ambition is to establish a worldview-backed "SMCU (SM Cultural Universe)", and in 2016, senior producer SM Li Xiuman organized CT (Culture Technology, Culture & Technology).

The CT concept has been modified and developed and divided into three main stages. One is Culture Creation, which creates artists and themes, the other is Culture Development, which brings artists and themes to the industry level, and the third is Culture Creation. (improvement) which brings artists and content to the industry level, the third expands core resources and knowledge of the culture of other industries. . The application of the AI ​​membership expertise in the espa is the result of the third step, aespa decided by Li Xiuman is the start of SMCU.

In Li Xiuman's vision, big data using robots will play an important role in the entertainment industry in the future. In recent years, SM has developed AI, AR and VR technology through research and development. In the past, Girls' Generation has participated in hologram concerts since 2013, and SM has opened a court for holograms, and TVXQ, SHINee, and EXO have all been involved in hologram performances. In addition, SM has partnered with SK, Intel, and JYP to explore a variety of industries, including the pace of AI and online gigs.

In a situation where the Korean group has degenerated into the shackles of homogenization and the future of the Chinese idol industry is uncertain, SM has already taken action for the future first, even without the name of 'meta edge'. The integration of culture and technology.

Where's the local idol meta?

With the advent of new technologies, more and more new idols are born and the concept of virtual idols in the market has widened further.

virtual singer Luo Tianyi uses a library of sounds and sound synthesis techniques;

surreal digital people like AYAYI and Ling (Vhuman);

It uses technology to take advantage of digital avatars of digital twins, such as the SM espa.

Others, like Lehua Entertainment's virtual girl group A-SOUL, use facial motion capture technology to achieve synchronization between virtual and real-time (intermediate) images.

Returning to the development of domestic virtual idols, it extended its business model from both sides to pan-entertainment, through foreign imitation and localization techniques, such as broadcasting, live streaming and e-commerce. Sports businesses and other technologies have spread to online businesses, video platforms, and traditional businesses.

Despite more and more investment and gold flowing in, the Chinese market has not become a new star in the meta-world that can be accepted by the public as espa.

In South Korean adult idols, workers can use real-life idol names to inspire audiences to understand and explore the meta-cosmic meaning behind them, while virtual stories add character. unique and charming to reality. idol of life. CornIn China, real idols are still hovering and virtual idols are more difficult to cross the "circle block".

On the one hand, it is difficult to "go around in circles". When virtual girls A-SOUL first entered port B, I saw V-Circle users (two-dimensional VTuber fan circle) refuse to declare members in the race and screens. The main reason for concern is that Lehua Entertainment will bring fun in Rice Circle gameplay to V Circle, breaking the atmosphere and the culture.

Internet user writes about A-SOUL's 'still smelling' process (left)

On the other hand, “breaking the cycle” is also difficult. After the debut of “Unlimited King”, a team project of virtual male idols developed by “Honor of Kings”, industry capitalization such as IP size, brand support, etc. and the gaming industry is moving towards independence.

Users on both sides represent greater harmony and improvement as the primary level of use of virtual idols now, while the pan-fun level refers to increased effort and larger business models. The users of the entertainment industry are harmonious and cohesive, but the country has yet to find the right path.

A successful business model cannot be seen due to the "naturally confined land" and constrained economy. Nowadays, virtual idols are also used to advertise in the media based on their income models, sometimes sponsored or involved in offline events. However, according to Tou Leopard's "Chinese Virtual Idol Consumer Approval" in 2021, consumer interest payments are still low, with only 6.3% willing to spend more than 500 yuan on virtual idols.

According to the UBS report, the average starting investment cost of high-end virtual characters is 30 million yuan. For example, A-SOUL falls into this category, and future operations are also more expensive. The cost of producing a concert is around 200. yuan. 10,000 yuan, offline The cost of a concert is around 20 million yuan.

infinite king

Virtual idols have deception, but they have thorns. The business and business models of Japan and South Korea can offer some value for money in China.

Espa in Korea has practiced enhancing the fusion of real idols and virtual images.The integration of a wide range of information, the development of interactions with the appropriate working models for the ecosystem of the local ecosystem and the establishment of harmony and harmony with the global outlook and history are all the features needed for use in virtual reality actors.

Japan has a similar sport.Dennis and Showroom from Japan unveiled two virtual idols, and the "man in the middle" has since been revealed.In the working class we have dedicated ourselves to creating many figures of real people, and based on this we explore the potential for many interactions between idols and wind statues in the internet age.

In order to create future digital superstars, domestic and foreign companies are showing both skepticism and optimism, and Capital has come to believe in its interest in the virtual world. . However, how to resolve virtual market skepticism and make the world a meta-concept is a real land needs more people to participate in the imaginative play on feelings.

The home business is still waiting for people to try real crab for the first time.