NCSOFT, a South Korea-based video game company, is hosting a K-pop concert on its new entertainment platform UNIVERSE on Valentine’s Day, February 14. They are using extended reality, which encompasses augmented and virtual reality technologies, to give K-pop fans an immersive experience of the virtual concert.
Extended Reality During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t completely put a stop to fun and entertainment. As you might have noticed in the past few months, there has been a surge of immersive innovations. They might provide varying experiences, but they all bring people together virtually in this new reality.
Artists from all around the world are using augmented and virtual reality to enhance the concert experience. For instance, The Weeknd used TikTok’s AR platform to produce an interactive and immersive concert. John Legend, on the other hand, used the virtual music platform Wave to perform in avatar form.
John Legend didn’t perform live on Wave. Using the Xsens MVN Animate Motion Capture system, Xsens recorded Legend’s movements before turning him into a digital avatar. Then, they broadcasted his performance to audiences using multiple streams.
The world of K-pop is now beginning to catch up to these virtual concerts. UNIVERSE, a mobile entertainment platform launched by NCSOFT on January 28 and designed for all things K-pop, is going to hold its first-ever live concert “Uni-Kon” on Valentine’s Day. The app is available in 134 countries worldwide, for both iOS and Android. It, too, will be using extended reality to fill in the gaps of existing digital technologies.
Instead of avatars, you’ll see various idols perform live. In addition, you’ll have a multi-view experience of the concert because of XR.
Uni-Kon is free of charge. You can stream it live via the UNIVERSE app.
Extended Reality to Brings Multi-View Function to Uni-Kon
In celebration of UNIVERSE’s launching, NCSOFT will be hosting the first-ever live concert “Uni-Kon” on Valentine’s Day. Just because it is the 14th of February, you will get to see 14 of your favorite idols perform.
Thus, mark your calendars. Don’t miss a chance to watch (G)I-DLE, IZ*ONE, MONSTA X, Kang Daniel, Park Ji-hoon, AB6IX, ASTRO, CIX, ATEEZ, CRAVITY, The Boyz, WEi, OH MY GIRL, and WJSN perform.
NCSOFT will be utilizing extended reality technologies to make the virtual concert truly immersive. You can view the performances from different angles, which is a truly unique experience that you won’t even get to do at a live in-person concert.
So, what can UNIVERSE offer when it isn’t broadcasting live concerts?
UNIVERSE provides a wide variety of online and offline features for K-pop fans. Perhaps one of the most exciting features about it is the exclusive content. Every day, you’ll receive new content such as music videos, photos, and podcasts.
Aside from daily updates, you can make and share fan art and videos of your favorite artists. You can archive fandom activities. Through its studio feature, you can even make 3D characters based on the artists. Additionally, you can make stage concepts and virtual music videos from the platform.
Last but not the least, you can listen to messages from the K-pop artists themselves. Using artificial intelligence, the developers made private messages and calls based on the idols’ voices.
