SM Entertainment partnered with Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) to do a research project on the concept of the “metaverse.”

A combination of the words “meta,” which means beyond, and “universe,” the term refers to a virtual world where users will interact via avatars. SM’s first foray into this field was marked by the debut of the girl group aespa last November 2020. Their concept combined real human members with computer-generated avatars powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

Together, SM and KAIST will delve into various fields, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and the concept of “culture technology,” which was originated by SM founder Lee Soo Man. Culture technology spawned the name NCT, and it refers to a system used to promote Korean culture and K-pop across the world.

Eventually, the project will also create avatars for other SM groups such as Red Velvet and Super Junior.

“Digital avatars have ushered in the era of the robots,” said Lee Soo Man in a lecture to KAIST students, adding, “Culture and science should join forces to create content that goes beyond our imagination.”