The future of K-pop could soon look very different — with robots taking centre stage instead of human idols.
South Korean entertainment technology company Galaxy Corporation has revealed ambitious plans to launch robot-powered K-pop concerts, signalling a bold new direction for the global music industry.
The company, which manages major stars including G-Dragon, Taemin of SHINee and entertainer Kim Jong-kook from Running Man, believes AI and robotics could transform the future of live entertainment.
Speaking during the launch of the company’s new Galaxy Robot Park in eastern Seoul, chief executive Choi Yong-ho said robots are expected to become deeply integrated into everyday life over the next 10 to 20 years.
According to Choi, robot performers could solve one of the biggest challenges in the entertainment business — the physical limitations of human artistes.
“Human performers can only tour one location at a time, but robots can hold concerts simultaneously in different countries,” he explained, pointing to future shows happening at the same time across South Korea, Japan and China.
At the launch event on May 15, the company unveiled humanoid robots developed by Chinese robotics firm Unitree, dressed in costumes inspired by G-Dragon’s iconic stage outfits and programmed to dance to the K-pop superstar’s hit songs.
Galaxy Corporation aims to begin staging robot-powered K-pop performances at the park as early as June, with plans for an international robot concert tour by 2027.
The futuristic vision has already attracted investor interest, including backing from Taiwanese Mandopop icon Jay Chou’s company Star Plus Legend, which reportedly owns a seven per cent stake in Galaxy Corporation.
When G-Dragon joined the company in 2023, his contract reportedly included stock options giving him an estimated two per cent stake in the business, which was valued at 1 trillion won (S$850 million) in late 2025.
Still, not everyone is convinced robot idols can replace real stars.
Previous attempts by K-pop agencies to combine AI, avatars and virtual entertainment have delivered mixed results.
aespa under SM Entertainment initially debuted with virtual avatar counterparts in a digital universe called Kwangya, though the concept was later scaled back.
In 2024, Hybe launched virtual girl group Syndi8 using AI-generated voices and digital avatars, but the project struggled to gain popularity and sparked controversy online.
Experts believe one major challenge remains unresolved — human emotion.
Professor Kim Jeong-seob from Sungshin Women’s University said audiences are emotionally connected to artistes in ways technology still cannot fully replicate.
“The issue is whether AI can truly convey the subtleties of human emotion,” he said, adding that music fans often seek emotional authenticity rather than just visual spectacle.
Long-time G-Dragon fan Jinny Goh from Singapore also admitted she has no interest in attending a robot concert, describing the idea as “dehumanising”.
She said live concerts are about more than music, pointing to the emotional atmosphere, fan interactions and stage presence that robots may struggle to reproduce.
“They would just be moving boom boxes,” she said.
However, others believe younger generations growing up alongside AI technology may eventually embrace robotic performers more naturally.
Dongguk University adjunct professor Aiden Hwang argued future fans may not resist AI idols the same way current audiences do.
South Korea itself is rapidly accelerating its AI ambitions. Earlier this year, the government unveiled a national strategy aimed at turning the country into one of the world’s top three AI powers by 2028.
The country has also announced major investments into humanoid robotics, while even religious institutions have begun experimenting with AI technology — including the recent unveiling of a robot monk named Gabi by South Korea’s largest Buddhist sect.
Despite fears of AI replacing human entertainers, experts say technology is more likely to evolve into a tool that enhances creativity rather than completely removing human artistes from the spotlight.
