VR star signs with K-pop label YG Entertainment

South Korean game developer and publisher Smilegate announced Monday that its virtual human signed an exclusive contract with an affiliate of global entertainment juggernaut YG Entertainment Inc.

YG KPlus signed on Smilegate’s Han Yu A to perform in a number of entertainment sectors from broadcasting, YouTube, to commercials.  

Han’s first introduction to the world was as the lead character in Smilegate’s virtual reality game Focus on You released in 2019. 

Initially a three-dimensional animated character limited to the online game platform, Smilegate upgraded Han to be more human-like last August. 

The upgrade was thanks to a collaboration with Giantstep Inc., the marketing agency behind the avatars of SM Entertainment Co.’s uber-popular K-pop girl group Aespa and a male virtual human named Vincent.

The Smilegate Group has a holding company and nine affiliates in the gaming, entertainment, and investment sectors, to name a few. 

Last November, Han Yu A is was appointed as an ambassador to the Seoul-based international organization Friends of Hope, which boasts special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

Han Yu A recently shot a fashion spread and is slated to release an album later this month.  

YG KPlus is a modeling agency established by fashion model-turned-CEO Go Eun-kyung and manages some of the biggest names in high fashion such as Hye-rim Park and Bae Yoon-young.

“Han Yu A fits the needs of millennials and Generation Z, who look for something fresh and fun in new artists,” Go said. “We will provide unsparing support and assistance for Han to become the main virtual artist in the metaverse.” 

Smilegate’s Executive VP of brand strategy and IP business Paek Min-jung said, “Han Yu A will be seen as increasingly attractive following significant growth [in recent years] in the character's interaction with humans.” 

Prior to the latest agreement, artificial intelligence graphics company Pulse9 Inc. was one of the first to debut a successful girl group. The 11-member ETERN!TY debuted in March 2021. 

Meanwhile, virtual influencer Rozy, developed by SIDUS Studio X, remains the most famous example in Korea. There are such examples in nearly all major countries -- for example Lil Miquela in the United States and Imma in Japan.

Write to Joo-Wan Kim at kjwan@hankyung.com
Jee Abbey Lee edited this article.