
South Korea is the world's testing ground for tech. But also, in terms of entertainment the world is increasingly looking that way since TV sensations like The Masked Singer and Squid Game hit our screens and K-pop groups took over concert stadiums and teenage hearts all over the world. Now, the next big thing coming out of Korea might be synthetic influencers.
MIPTV 2022 CONFERENCES SQUID GAME: THE INTERVIEW
Influencers have become an important part of the media eco-system and powerful marketing tools. Especially Gen Z are completely under the Influencer effect. However, as technology continues to evolve, a new kind of influencer has emerged: the synthetic influencer. These digital creations, made entirely of computer-generated imagery (CGI), have the potential to revolutionize the world of media. Let's explore the rise of the synthetic influencers, their advantages, and disadvantages, and what the future holds for this innovative technology.
Synthetic K-Pop Influencers One of the biggest players in this field is Kakao Entertainment, a leading entertainment company in Korea with a well-diversified portfolio offering everything from webtoons to films and dramas, talent management, and K-pop all under one roof. Using new imaginative ways to maximize the lifecycle and value of content IPs, Kakao Entertainment delivers a holistic entertainment experience in synergy with its tech-driven ecosystem.
An example for that is Mave, the first artificial K-pop group created entirely within the metaverse. Using machine learning, deep fake, face swap and 3D production technology to bring the group alive.
Synthetic Influencers on TV Kakao Entertainment is also producing TV shows such as GIRL'S RE:VERSE, a virtual survival show that features 30 female K-pop performers, both current and past, who compete with each other in a virtual world called W to have the chance to debut a new virtual K-pop group. Their real identities are hidden with the use of virtual characters so that only their dancing and singing skills, as well as their charms are shown. The program uses VR motion capture technology to capture their physical movements and facial expressions which is then projected onto each contestant's unique virtual character in real-time. Viewers can guess the identity of the contestants and only those eliminated are allowed to reveal their actual identity. The last five standing make it into the brand-new idol band.
The show premiered in January on South Korean OTT platform Kakao TV and was also shown on Japan's ABEMA TV platform and USA's KOCOWA platfom as well as being available worldwide on YouTube.
Another example for these kinds of metaverse shows is a TV reality show called Avatar Singer which is a 15-episode music competition that ran live on Korean TV Channel MBN. It features ten celebrity competitors masked as digital 3D avatars complete with superpowers.
These shows are the next level of The Masked Singer and similar to Fox's Alter Ego, in which contestants stand backstage while singing and dancing, as motion capture technology projects an avatar on stage that moves when the person does. The judges then decide who has the best performance.
Superplastic and Amazon Studios' Collaboration While Korea is way ahead when it comes to synthetic influencers, the trend has also reached the US already. Superplastic is a startup that creates and develops synthetic influencers and has recently raised $20 million led by Amazon's Alexa Fund. The strategic investment that will see Superplastic and its synthetic celebrities, with millions of followers on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, initially collaborating on an animated comedy series with Amazon Studios. They will also work closely with Amazon to look for more ways to connect with younger consumers. The plan is to build out more character-based products - the Superplastic character universe , as the startup calls it - across platforms such as games and other social networks. Other investors include Craft Ventures, Google Ventures, Galaxy Digital, Kering, Sony Japan, Scribble Ventures, Kakao, Animoca Brands, Day One Ventures and Betaworks.
Amazon's interest in Superplastic highlights a recurring theme in tech right now: we're seeing increasingly blurred lines between media and technology, where one is being leveraged to propagate the other, in today's digital landscape. Superplastic's founder and CEO Paul Budnitz sees companies like his as this generation's Disney: beloved characters with a universe of experiences built around them. In today's world, that experience, and the beloved characters themselves, inevitably have a major tech component. In regard to Social Media he says: The usage and momentum on there provides insights about how a piece of content will play with all of our audience. That matters to Amazon.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Synthetic Influencers The advantages of using a synthetic influencer over a human influencer are easy to see. Synthetic influencers are entirely computer-generated, which means that the creators have complete control over the character. Especially after the recent Kanye West disaster, a synthetic influencer seems like the safe choice for a brand. Another advantage is that synthetic influencers are always available, 24/7. A lot of human influencers suffer from burnouts eventually, that's not the case with synthetic influencers. And finally, synthetic influencers can be programmed to speak multiple languages and can be customized to suit different markets and cultures. The girls of above-mentioned K-pop group Mave are supposed to converse in, say Portuguese with a Brazilian fan and in German with someone in Germany, fluently and convincingly. This versatility can help brands reach a more diverse audience and expand the
Most recent headlines
06/10/2025
France T l visions, France's leading broadcaster, has received the 2025 EBU ...
04/09/2025
Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), in collaboration with Dalet, has been a...
04/07/2025
Introducing CVP Auctions: Trusted Tech, At Auction-Only Prices
Brie Clayton July 4, 2025
0 Comments
A New Destination for Film and Broadcast Gear at U...
04/07/2025
Unveiling China's Ecological Wonders with URSA Mini Pro 12K
Brie Clayton July 4, 2025
0 Comments
Nature Documentaries Freeze Epic Momentsin Extrem...
04/07/2025
Create Any Planet in After Effects
Graham Quince July 4, 2025
0 Comments
The Advanced 3D renderer in After Effects makes it really easy to import 3D o...
04/07/2025
Custom Gradient Colorize for Resolve Fusion
Simon Ubsdell July 4, 2025
0 Comments
Digging into the theory of the gradient colorize process to build ou...
04/07/2025
Watching live sports on TV these days is a delicate balance for broadcasters how much information is too much?...
04/07/2025
WASHINGTON As Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr works to achieve his goal of a very busy, productive summer at the FCC, the agency has rele...
04/07/2025
Other World Computing Launches OWC Guardian USB-C Hardware-Encrypted Portable SS...
04/07/2025
CANAL Brings MotoGP to Vision Pro with Blackmagic URSA Cine Immersive
Brie Clayton July 3, 2025
0 Comments
Experience MotoGP like never before as CA...
04/07/2025
The Pitch comes to RT Radio 1 airwaves this Sunday at 7pm. The Pitch is a brand...
03/07/2025
For our Vario-Jib, as well as for a repertoire of weights, we now have carts that make transport easier...
03/07/2025
One of our latest innovations: Slider Drive Unit!
Our Vario Slider not only comes with improvements and new features, but also with its own drive unit!
Our i...
03/07/2025
The 360 EVO lives up to its name: 360-degree rotation not only on the pan axis, but also on the roll axis, enables filmmakers to take their creative visions eve...
03/07/2025
What a buzzing few days at BSCExpo in London!
We were thrilled to connect with so many talented professionals from the world of cinematography.
A huge thank ...
03/07/2025
ADOLESCENCE - Shot with Panther Tower"The whole rig had to be detachable mid-episode
Netflix limited drama series Adolescence has been gaining attentio...
03/07/2025
To achieve a true level of decisive overmatch, communication systems must be as ...
03/07/2025
The Broadcasters Foundation of America has named Ray Hopkins, president of U.S. distribution at Paramount Global, to its board of directors....
03/07/2025
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. In his first major policy speech, Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr outlined his Build America Agenda for the agency'...
03/07/2025
As the industry is making a major push to transition to NextGen TV and develop new businesses that will fund the next generation of broadcasting, TV Tech's ...
03/07/2025
Despite enabling its subscribers to watch films and TV shows in the highest possible resolution, Netflix has revealed it is taking things old school with the in...
03/07/2025
WASHINGTON In response to news that Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump, Democrats and other administra...
03/07/2025
WUPPERTAL, Germany Riedel Communications today launched RefSuite for professional sports workflows....
03/07/2025
WEITERSTADT, Germany LYNX Technik, a provider of modular signal processing solutions, has announced that founder and longtime CEO Winfried Deckelmann is steppin...
03/07/2025
WASHINGTON Representatives from six trade groups representing tech, pay TV, broadband, LPTV and other sectors recently met with Federal Communications Commissio...
03/07/2025
PLYMOUTH, Wis. Dan Whealy has acquired Heartland Video Systems and will be its new owner and president, the systems integrator said....
03/07/2025
Acclaimed filmmaker, educator, and industry veteran Jay Holben has released his most ambitious work to date: The Director's Guide to Everything a sweeping...
03/07/2025
For Los Angeles-based photographer Scout Pruski, documenting the annual Dyke Day LA is a way to honor and give back to the city's legacy queer community and...
03/07/2025
Modular, Travel-Ready Solution Matthews Studio Equipment launches the new Chimera V-Flat Panel Frame Kit, the lightweight and modular, ultra-durable alternativ...
03/07/2025
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the release of Dalet Flex 2025.6 LTS (long-term support), introdu...
03/07/2025
Lightware's LARA Wizard makes it quicker and easier than ever to set up audio-visual (AV) room automation and control configurations, ensuring anyone, from ...
03/07/2025
Alfalite, the only European manufacturer of LED screens, has obtained both the NCAGE Code (NATO Commercial and Government Entity) and TAA (Trade Agreements Act)...
03/07/2025
nxtedition is implementing a new solution for WIN Network, based in its headquarters in Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. The nxtedition integrated platfo...
03/07/2025
ORS Group and Insys Video Technologies today announce the launch of a new joint brand identity: Big Blue Marble. The move reflects the evolution of a long-stand...
03/07/2025
Evergent, a global leader in customer lifecycle management and monetization solutions for subscription-based businesses, today announced the successful results ...
03/07/2025
LYNX Technik, provider of modular signal processing solutions today announces an executive leadership transition, effective July 1, 2025. Markus Motzko has been...
03/07/2025
Chaos Releases V-Ray for Blender
Brie Clayton July 2, 2025
0 Comments
Production-Proven Renderer V-Ray Arrives Natively in Blender for the First Time;...
03/07/2025
Calvin University Adds Blackmagic Replay to Broadcasts and Streams
Brie Clayton July 2, 2025
0 Comments
Replay workflow joins 14 Blackmagic Design cam...
03/07/2025
Berklee's Gospel Performance Program Welcomes Jonathan Nelson as the Herb Al...
03/07/2025
In today's fragmented media landscape, advertisers expect more than just reach - they want seamless cross-platform campaigns that deliver measurable results...
03/07/2025
** MEDIA ALERT ** Shonen Jump Store Hosting Los Angeles Pop-up During Anime Exp...
03/07/2025
Thursday 3 July 2025
David Harewood and Matthew Broome in Mozart: Genius for Hi...
03/07/2025
The Sky WNT Fund supports Womens National Team players with a 30,000 bursaryThursday 3 July 2025
Sky Ireland has announced the four recipients of the 2025 Sky...
03/07/2025
The forecast this month is showing a 100% chance of epic gaming. Catch the scorching lineup of 20 titles coming to the cloud, which gamers can play whether indo...
02/07/2025
Hege Wik and Odin appear in FOLKTALES by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institut...
02/07/2025
(Stephen Lovekin/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Festival)
By Patty Consolazio
This one's for any person who's ever felt put down, left out, marginaliz...
02/07/2025
Calrec expands ecosystem at NAB 2025 giving broadcasters access to dynamic workflows and ultimate flexibility Helping broadcasters meet the shifting needs of me...
02/07/2025
NEW YORK Paramount Global has agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit by President Donald Trump, ending a long-running legal saga that could clear the way...
02/07/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has approved the transfer of licenses for five TV stations from Sinclair to Rincon Broadcasting, which announce...
02/07/2025
As the media industry faces an uncertain business climate and rapidly changing consumer habits, TV Tech's most popular stories from the first six months of ...