Carrying on SM's Legacy: Virtual Artists Take K to Hollywood

Studio Realive Targets the $68 Billion Market
with Navis and LYNKPOP

Paek Jongmin Studio Realive CCO [Jo Haneul QK Pictures Artist]

"The key lies in the combination and convergence of virtual artists, artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality (XR), and immersive spaces."

Paek Jongmin, Chief Content Officer (CCO) of Studio Realive, outlined his vision for future content strategies at the 'U-KNOCK 2025 in USA' event hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency on November 5 (local time) at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, USA. He expressed his ambition to redefine the boundaries of entertainment by leveraging the legacy of SM Entertainment, which represents the very history of K-pop, alongside cutting-edge technologies.

Paek assessed that since 2020, we have been standing at the center of the greatest paradigm shift in human history. He explained that the pandemic accelerated digital transformation, AI has democratized creativity, and the digitalization of society as a whole has become an irreversible trend.

He emphasized that two core elements are essential to survive and succeed in the vast ocean of content. One is intellectual property (IP) and a powerful universe, and the other is experiential content based on real-time interaction.

The industry forecasts that the interactive content platform market will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 22.95% through 2033, reaching a scale of 680 billion dollars (approximately 980 trillion won).

Studio Realive is preparing for the future by identifying four key businesses that will define the new era of content: virtual entertainment, immersive spaces, XR, and AI.

Paek Jongmin Studio Realive CCO [Jo Haneul QK Pictures Artist]

Currently, the business receiving the most focus is virtual entertainment. Through virtual artists and virtual concerts, the company aims to infinitely extend the vitality of its IP.

Studio Realive is creating hyper-realistic virtual humans such as 'Navis,' and is implementing the entire process of planning, developing, and managing fandoms for virtual artists by applying the K-pop management system.

The company is also dedicating significant effort to its XR content business. In particular, its proprietary virtual reality (VR) concert brand LYNKPOP is garnering attention by reimagining K-pop as XR headset-based content. By offering ultra-close perspectives and immersive production, it provides fans with a new level of live concert experience.

Paek stated, "SM's K-legacy is rooted in creativity and constant communication with fan communities," adding, "We will use future content technologies as tools for creative discovery to further evolve this DNA."