Also a virtual girl group, but this girl group is not like K/DA or aespa.
In an era when advanced technology is increasingly developing, ‘virtual’ groups are also gradually released. We have seen ‘virtual’ Kpop groups like K/DA with characters in the game or aespa that both have real people and have a ‘virtual’ version for each member. However, in the near future, Kpop is expected to appear as a ‘virtual’ girl group but in a different type
Recently, many entertainment companies have been experimenting with the idea of AI, but Pulse9 has even gone a step further with a new girl group will all AI members. The new project team is named Eternity and will consist of 11 members. At first glance, we might all think they are real people. However, when we look a little closer, we will discover that they are just ‘virtual’ characters because they are all just AI images made up to look like real people.
Here are 11 members of Eternity, and all of them are not real people.
All the virtual Eternity members were created with deepfake technology by Pulse9, ‘Deep Real AI’, and all the members were chosen by voting via ‘AI IDOL CHALLENGE’, which took place earlier this year. Along with different appearances, each member will also feature a unique personality.
Unlike most of the companies behind K-pop groups, Pulse9 is actually a brand that specializes in artificial intelligence, not a music company. According to the company, their Deep Real AI technology differs from today’s deepfake technology thanks to its low cost and short production times.
So far, Pulse9 has posted several concept videos so that viewers can directly admire each member of the Eternity group. Although they are certainly not 100% real people, in general, their visuals, expressions and movements look relatively natural.
Besides activities as a virtual group, the Eternity members will also form sub-units and release solo songs. Above all, the company will use Eternity for a variety of other personal activities such as YouTube, propagandist, advertising model. One of the group’s virtual members, Chorong, even appeared in an ad for Shinhan Investment Corp.
Although this is a unique idea, it has sparked mixed controversy. Many people are very interested in this idea because if they use this concept, idols will not have to face disadvantages such as health problems, the mental impact from malicious comments, or even cannot get into a personality scandal.
However, many people are opposed to forming a group of girls that look ‘creepy’ like that because they look like real people but not human. On the other hand, Eternity members are basically all built up of deepfake technology – a technology that’s been deprecated. In fact, many people have taken advantage of deepfake to edit the faces of real-life Kpop female idols with a bad purpose. Some netizens expressed their opinion that they do not support the lifeless group and are also made from deepfake.
Eternity will debut at 6 pm on March 22 (KST) with their first single ‘I’m Real’. From March 22 to March 26, the group will hold a showcase to introduce the members to the public.
What do you think about that girl group?
