Blackpink, aespa made fans hotly debated about the story of 'virtual idols' in the Kpop village

After 2 years of absence, Blackpink recently returned with the MV "Ready For Love". However, the fact that Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa did not appear directly but let the 4 "virtual characters" completely replace caused controversy.

The MV "Ready For Love" Blackpink combined with the game PUBG Mobile is considered a gift for fans, before the group officially re-released with a new album in August.

Notably, in this MV, 4 Blackpink members are completely replaced by "virtual idols" created from artificial intelligence - AI.

MV "Ready For Love" marks Blackpink's comeback after nearly 1/10 months, since "The Album" was released in October 2020. Although not an official comeback product but just a collaboration with PUBG Mobile, this is still a product that the audience is looking forward to.

However, although "Ready For Love" is considered a song with a vibrant, catchy melody, suitable for an action game, the MV is still entangled with many controversies.

In particular, creating a 3D AI version of Blackpink members also caused a lot of controversy. The 4 "virtual idols" in the MV are built with the characteristics of 4 real-life idols, such as Rosé with platinum hair, Lisa with short hair, Jennie with a mole on her eyes, and Jisoo with shiny long black hair.

But many viewers commented that the 3D versions of Jennie and Jisoo are not like real people. Even, the AI image of Jennie, Lisa and Rosé is compared with many similarities with Karina, Winter, Ningning of the "junior" group aespa.

In particular, no matter how beautiful the "virtual idols" are, they still can't replace the "real and flesh-and-blood" idols, showing genuine choreography, charismatic aura and bringing emotions to viewers through gestures, facial expressions.

On the other hand, Blackpink fans have been waiting for nearly 2 years to see the 4 girls again in the same MV, so the "virtual idols" have not been able to satisfy the lingering "thirst".

The virtual-human model was tested by SM Entertainment with the g.irl group aespa, which debuted in November 2020. This is the first Kpop group to include 4 real members Karina, Giselle, Winter, Ningning and a virtual quartet version.

These "virtual idols" appear with the 4 members in all of the group's MVs since their debut. Although facing many controversies, after nearly 2 years, this model of aespa has gradually become accepted as a unique feature of the group.

After aespa, "virtual idols" appear more in Kpop and are even more "transformed". In March 2021, g.irl group Eternity officially debuted with the MV "I'm Real".

Notably, this is a group of 11 members who are completely "virtual idols". Eternity received a negative response because of the disaster AI idols with lifeless eyes, stiff smiles, and lack of flexibility in choreography.

In June 2022, the b.oy group Superkind debuted with 4 real members Daemon, Eugene, Geon, SiO and a virtual member named Saejin.

This is the first K-pop group to have a "virtual idol" acting as an official member of the group, alongside real idols.

The public is upset because virtual idol Saejin is taking the center position of the group. The remaining 4 members spent many years as trainees, practiced hard and could not compete with artificial intelligence.

Besides, many viewers are skeptical about how this virtual idol will perform on stage with the group when singing live?

Not only that, the virtual idols of most groups are entangled in controversies of plagiarism, such as Blackpink and aespa.

Recently there was an article titled "Is Blackpink plagiarizing aespa?" The audience posted on social networks when they thought that the image of the virtual character in "Ready For Love" was similar to the previous concept of aespa.

Some viewers said that although they found the idea of virtual characters of the two groups similar. Others claim that Blackpink is plagiarizing aespa's style.

Meanwhile, others commented on the CG version of Jennie, reminiscent of aespa member Karina.

However, another part of the audience believes that from the beginning aespa created the image and outfit similar to Blackpink. They are also called Blackpink clones, there's no way the 4 YG girls copied the aespa.

The majority of the audience affirmed that virtual character ideas are not rare in Korean K-pop MVs, so such a comparison is absurd and has no convincing basis.

In fact, real people always have their own characteristics that artificial intelligence cannot completely copy.

AI technology can create a virtual idol with perfect beauty and physique, but it is really difficult to have the charisma like a Kpop idol. Just a similar hairstyle can easily be confused, because AI has no soul like real people.

Therefore, aespa may be well received when using "virtual idols" in moderation, for the right purpose, to serve the group's concept without replacing or overpowering people.

But the public believes that "virtual idols" even if they work tirelessly and withstand all pressure, they cannot replace idols with real emotions and talents.

BLACKPINK plagiarizes aespa: Fans give a series of undeniable proofs Nắng13:34:04 01/08/2022As announced, on July 29, BLACKPINK also officially released the MV "Ready For Love" as a work that paved the way for a monumental comeback in August. As soon as it was released, "Ready For Love" quickly achieved many remarkable achievements on music charts and became the K-Pop...