New K-Pop Band Will Include an Entirely CGI Singer

She's an entirely virtual, computer generated avatar — not a real singer like her fellow band members.

ae-KARINA

K-pop girl band aespa has announced that it's adding a new member to its ranks named "ae-KARINA."

There's something different about her though. She's an entirely virtual, computer generated avatar, not a real singer like her fellow band members.

The band, licensed under SM Entertainment, confirmed that its work will feature both real life and "virtual" band members.

 

Digital Doppelganger

The backstory of ae-KARINA says she's 20 years old, from Korea — and the digital counterpart to the band's IRL band member Karina, also a 20 year old from Korea.

The pair reportedly have "various skills including vocals, rap, and dance," according to English-language k-pop site Soompi.

A new video uploaded by the site introduces the virtual avatar and discusses how the various band members connect with her via social media. It's not clear who will be running the virtual band member's accounts.

Going Virtual

The South Korean entertainment industry is no stranger to putting a digital avatar on stage. For instance, the band K/DA is entirely virtual and was created by Riot Games, the developer behind the popular online battle game "League of Legends."

Hatsune Miku, an entirely computer-generated "vocaloid" powered by a Japanese media company, also was set to perform at Coachella this year. But as you may have heard, basically every major music event, including Coachella, was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

READ MORE: aespa introduce their virtual member system in an interview with Karina and her counterpart, æ-Karina [allkpop]

More on virtual stars: Virtual Music Star Hatsune Miku to Perform at Coachella