Virtual K-pop band Plave earning real success

Both supply, demand for virtual K-pop groups to increase this year, says expert

Plave (Vlast)

Virtual K-pop boy group Plave continues to captivate young fans, achieving remarkable milestones in the local music scene.

The group's third mini album, "Caligo Pt. 1," which was released Monday, surpassed 11 million streams on Melon within 24 hours, setting a new record. The album's lead track, "Dash," also climbed to the top of Melon's charts upon its release, surpassing G-Dragon's "Home Sweet Home" and Ive's "Rebel Heart." All tracks from the album secured spots in the top 20. The "Dash" music video also reached the No. 1 spot on YouTube's trending videos upon its release.

Debuting in March 2023, Plave comprises five Yejun, Noah, Bambi, Eunho and Hamin. The group's unique appeal lies in their virtual existence: Each member is an animated character, yet possesses their own persona.

Behind these animated figures are real individuals who participate in the songwriting, composing, choreography and production, positioning Plave as a rare self-producing idol group. This authenticity has fostered a dedicated fan base, transcending the typical limitations of virtual groups.

Music critic Lim Hee-yun anticipates further expansion of the virtual idol industry beyond Plave in 2025.

"Plave and Naevis have recently released new songs, signaling the start of the year. I believe that in terms of consumption, both supply and demand for virtual K-pop groups will continue to increase this year," Lim said.

Plave's third mini album, "Caligo Pt. 1," which released Monday (Vlast)

Fans are not merely drawn to the 2D images of the characters, but delve into and empathize with the charms of each character and the human members behind them.

That the actual individuals are not revealed, remaining hidden behind the characters, adds to their allure and evokes a sense of poignancy. In the early stages, when technological advancements were lacking, fans embraced the characters' motion recognition errors as new entertaining content, even creating shorts compiling these moments.

Plave has consistently uploaded content to YouTube, almost on a daily basis.

Since TV director Je Young-jae, known for directing "Infinite Challenge," joined as a content expert, the bandmates have also showcased their own variety shows, engaging in activities like dancing arcade game Pump It Up, gaming and discussions.

Plave's YouTube channel has garnered some 891,000 subscribers as of Thursday, with a livestream on Monday scoring around 30,000 concurrent viewers.