Virtual humans, or virtual influencers, are heating up the entertainment industry. The virtual idol group "Isegye Idol," which debuted in 2021, released the song "KIDDING," which topped the Melon HOT 100 chart and ranked third on the YouTube Music Korea Popularity chart last year, garnering immense popularity. Furthermore, this year, the virtual group "PlayV" topped the MBC music show "Show! Music Core," surpassing popular singer "BIBI" and girl group "Le Sserafim," marking the first instance of a virtual singer topping a music show. This is a symbolic event showcasing how rapidly IT technology is expanding the scope of application in the virtual human industry.

Virtual humans are virtual beings that appear on computer screens through IT technology. They are meticulously crafted using artificial intelligence and computer graphics technology, making them almost indistinguishable from real people. Their creation involves utilizing various cutting-edge technologies like hyperrealism modeling, text-to-speech (TTS), rigging, and natural language processing (NLP).

The use of virtual humans is rapidly expanding beyond the entertainment and gaming industries. They are seamlessly integrating into various industries such as music, fashion, education, and finance, resulting in a rapid growth in market size. According to Emergen Research, a global market research firm, the global virtual human market is expected to reach approximately $500 billion by 2030, from $10 billion in 2020.

In Korea, virtual artist "Han Yu-a" is paving the way for the future of the virtual human industry in Korea, by releasing her own music and serving as an advertising model. Her music video "Lilac Scent" has garnered over 250,000 views. American virtual pop singer "Lil Miquela" is a character set as a 19-year-old from Los Angeles. She runs a YouTube channel and actively interacts with over 2.6 million followers. Various other virtual humans are showcasing their limitless potential by working as models, influencers, and YouTubers.

The gaming industry is also captivated by the charm of virtual humans. NCsoft (NC) showcased a virtual human modeled after CEO Kim Taek-jin at the "Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2023," receiving rave reviews for its perfect implementation of graphics and voice using TTS technology. The virtual idol group "MaeVE," created through collaboration between Netmarble F&C and Kakao Entertainment, is also gaining immense popularity.

Meanwhile, SK Telecom has partnered with OnMind, a virtual human specialist company, to introduce the virtual human "Na Soo-a" as the model for its AI personal assistant "A." Naver and Kakao are also actively entering the virtual human market through Zepeto and MaeVE, respectively.

The VTuber market is gaining popularity among young generations based on its unique concepts and real- time interaction. It is emerging in various fields, including webtoons and music. Market research firm MarketWatch predicts that the global VTuber market will grow by approximately six times by 2030, reaching $13.2 billion.

Various gaming companies are also maximizing their marketing efforts through collaborations with Vtubers. Krafton promoted "PUBG Mobile" through a collaboration with "Usada Pekora," a member of Hololive. Nexon promoted its game "Blue Archive" through collaboration with Japanese Vtubers.

A gaming industry official predicted that, "Virtual humans will become core content in the future as they can be expanded to various content such as webtoons and advertisements, and can be more approachable to users."

Virtual humans are expanding their applications in various industries with their perfect visuals and unending creativity. It is worth observing how these virtual humans, which will become more refined with the advancement of technology, will interact with our daily lives.