According to THIS particular small/medium-sized label, investments from companies such as HYBE and YG Plus have been received to aid in the global expansion of its boy group.
On April 22, a press conference was conducted with Lee Seong Gu, the CEO of VLAST, a virtual IP startup and the label of the virtual idol group, PLAVE.
During the event, he discussed the current achievements of the South Korean boy group and their future plans to expand their presence globally.
CEO Lee Confirms Company Received Investment From HYBE and YG, Refutes Bigger Company Takeover of VLAST
At the press conference, CEO Lee Seong Gu announced PLAVE’s primary objective of international expansion. As the boy group’s popularity continues to grow, there have been rumors that a larger label may acquire their company in order to facilitate this goal.
Lee clarified to account for this.
“It is true that we recently received investment from HYBE and YG Plus. However, the rumor about an acquisition is not true. Both companies invested with a small stake and are currently helping us.”
In doing so, VLAST implied that they would be expanding their international operations in the upcoming years, stating:
“PLAVE has a very large domestic fandom. Usually, K-pop artists are popular overseas, but there is not much awareness of us yet (beyond Korea).
However, I think we are pioneering a new genre called ‘virtual entertainment’. I am sure we will be loved. We are also thinking about expanding overseas, so there are a lot of technical things to prepare for how to do overseas TV appearances and concerts, so we are taking it step by step.”
VLAST CEO Hints at Possible Solo Activities for PLAVE Members + Addresses Questions About Group’s Lineup
PLAVE, a popular K-pop boy group, consists of virtual idols Yejun, Noah, Bamby, Eunho, and Hamin, for those who may not be familiar with the group.
This idol group differs from AI singers in their use of motion capture to conceal their true identities. This approach allows them to combat biases based on appearance and enables fans to appreciate their abilities and personalities more closely.
Despite having limited opportunities for physical interaction, these idols are self-produced, taking on tasks such as writing lyrics, composing music, choreographing performances, and producing albums.
When the question arose about whether they would have the opportunity to shine as soloists in the future, CEO Lee responded:
“It is possible since during the concert, PLAVE performed individually and as a unit. However, the members’ opinion pointed out that it is right for the five of them to continue performing together as it has been only about a year since they debuted. One day, they will hold a solo stage. We are thinking about doing unit activities as well.”
The VLAST CEO assured fans that any questions about potential changes to the members in the future would be addressed.
“From the beginning, we thought that changing members was impossible. What we wanted to do was to express the charms of the current members well.”
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