Hive's Concert Business Innovation Eradicating 'Mutjima Gidalim' Waiting

'Weverse Julseogi' and 'Weverse By Fans' Unveiled
Industry's First AI Voice-Equipped 'Midnat' Also Launched
Attention on Whether It Will Bring Another Innovation to the Performance Industry

The '2023 Weverse Con Festival,' held over two days on the 10th and 11th at KSPO DOME (Gymnastics Stadium), was a festival that introduced innovation to the venue. The smart waiting service 'Weverse Queueing' was officially introduced, and 'Midnat,' equipped with the industry's first AI (artificial intelligence) voice, met fans on an offline stage for the first time. Another new service, 'Weverse by Fans,' was also unveiled.

NewJeans performing at the Weverse Con Festival on the 11th (Photo by HYBE)

HYBE, which organized the festival, is the company with the highest concert revenue in the domestic performance industry. Last year, its concert revenue reached 258.1 billion KRW. This reflects its significant influence and impact on the industry. During this concert period, the buzz volume related to the performance (number of mentions online) reached 1.1 million. HYBE's 'Audience Real-Name System,' started in 2019 to eradicate ticket scalping, is spreading throughout the industry. Attention is focused on whether HYBE can once again bring a new wave of innovation to the concert business and audience experience with these new services.

‘No More Waiting Without Purpose’

Weverse queue notification sent via KakaoTalk AlimTalk (Photo by HYBE)

In front of KSPO DOME at Haneul Square, about 30 booths were set up, including merchandise (Merch) booths and various event and experience zones. These are the typical 'goods shops' commonly seen around concert venues. However, there was a difference from before. Instead of waiting in line blindly, attendees could use a smart waiting service similar to 'Now Waiting,' making the venue experience more convenient than before.

Through 'Weverse Queueing,' introduced for the first time at this concert, attendees could reserve and queue for each booth, including the identity verification booth for the 'Audience Real-Name System.' The service could be applied for within a 3 km radius, and notifications were sent in three stages: entrance order guidance, waiting guidance in front of the booth, and entrance time guidance. Notification methods could be chosen between 'AlimTalk' or 'Email.' Thanks to Weverse Queueing, there was no congestion at the booths. Fans enjoyed the concert and went to the respective booths when it was their turn to use the services. The number of Weverse Queueing uses reached about 20,000 over the two days.

In the concert industry, 'waiting in line without purpose' had long been a custom. It was common to stay overnight to buy limited edition MD products. HYBE has taken the lead in eradicating this bad practice. Starting with BTS's world tour Seoul concert in 2019 and last year's Las Vegas concert, they developed a waiting service that allows direct queue applications for each booth. The starting point was the recognition that endless waiting in line at concert venues is the worst concert culture. This time, Weverse Queueing was fully introduced based on accumulated experience and technology.

AI Voice Meets the Concert

Introducing Uhm Jung-hwa with an AI voice mimicking her voice by Midnat (Photo by HYBE)

A 'Tribute Stage' for Uhm Jung-hwa was set up at the Weverse Con Festival. It is a tribute stage for 'senior artists' who have made significant contributions to the music industry. In 2021, a stage was held for Shin Hae-chul, last year for Seo Taiji, and this year a stage was prepared for Uhm Jung-hwa, a pioneer female artist. While Uhm Jung-hwa performed herself and received enthusiastic responses, a notable moment was the appearance of 'Midnat' during her introduction.

Midnat introduced Uhm Jung-hwa as "someone who continues to break her own boundaries and dreams of new worlds," mixing in an 'AI voice' to introduce her. The AI voice mimicked Uhm Jung-hwa's voice. Although Midnat had already been released through audio tracks, this was the first time it met fans offline. It was a scene showing the fusion of AI technology and music. On this day, Midnat also sang the debut song 'Masquerade.'

Midnat is another persona of singer Lee Hyun. The name means 'midnight' in Swedish. Midnat applies AI technology from 'Superton,' an audio company acquired by HYBE earlier this year. This technology explains why a song sung by the male Midnat can suddenly change to a female voice. It is called 'voice designing' technology. A female vocal tone suitable for the music concept and sound was created and synthesized into the sections sung by the artist, undergoing an optimization process.

Meanwhile, the new service 'Weverse by Fans,' launched alongside 'Weverse Queueing,' also attracted attention. It is a service that allows fans to easily create their own official merchandise customized as they wish. At this concert, the intellectual property (IP) of nine artist teams was realized in various styles and sizes. It could be printed on three products: reusable cups, acrylic stands, and T-shirts. This represents an evolution from ready-made products sold at the existing 'Weverse Shop' to 'my own goods.' Starting as a trial service at this concert, Weverse by Fans plans to officially launch to fans with a diverse lineup in the second half of this year.