vK-Pop's Robot Gamble: G-Dragon's Agency Bets Big on Humanoid Idols, But Will Fans Buy It?
SEOUL — The next K-pop concert you attend might not feature a single human performer. That is the future Galaxy Corporation is betting on, and the company is putting serious money behind it. Galaxy, the South Korean entertainment tech firm that manages G-Dragon, Taemin of SHINee, and Kim Jong-kook, has opened what it calls the world's first robot-centered cultural complex in eastern Seoul. The 16,500-square-meter Galaxy Robot Park drew more than 20,000 visitors during its pre-opening period since July, a figure CEO Choi Yong-ho says demonstrates real appetite for robots as entertainment. At the park's center is Robot Arena, a white-walled space reminiscent of the "Squid Game" set, where AI-powered humanoid robots from Chinese manufacturer Unitree perform choreography to hits like Rosé's "APT." and BIGBANG's "Bang Bang Bang". The robots are not individually controlled by human operators. AI analyzes choreography from online videos, allowing ...