South Korean record label, HYBE, which is known for its successful management of globally successful K-Pop band BTS, stands accused by fans of using generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a teaser trailer for an upcoming girl group. Fans suspicions predominantly revolve around the teaser video for HYBE’s five-member K-pop girl group, ILLIT. The firm launched the video, giving cognition and a sneak peak of unreleased songs.
The debut teaser for the group, “Super Real Me,” was released on March 16, and has already been viewed more than 2.6 million times, drawing significant attention ahead of the group’s debut on March 25. The use of AI was hypothesized following fans’ close examination of the teaser video, with several inaccuracies and inconsistencies identified, including an incomplete illustration of a mug, inconsistent cable lines and power cables that disappear in the background, and flawed illustration of a doorknob.
AI-driven content suspicions were somewhat confirmed and fueled by online snooping fans on Instagram who found that the video’s producer, Mooncube, an artist based in Paris, South Korea, allegedly followed several accounts that shared AI-generated content on the social media platform. Neither HYBE nor Mooncube has responded to fans’ criticisms and accusations surrounding the use of AI in the video’s creation.
HYBE is no stranger to artificial intelligence and has been actively experimenting with it in various creative realms. In June 2023, the company even launched an “AI-powered artist,” capable of singing in six different languages, including Korean, due to the implementation of “multilingual pronunciation correction technology”. Moreover, HYBE released its Q4 financial results in early March using an AI-generated voice analog of Jiwon Park, its CEO.
Notwithstanding an impressive portfolio of high-profile clientele such as Dior, Armani and Swarovski, Mooncube’s involvement in the “Super Real Me” video has ignited doubts about the authenticity and originality of the visual content in the teaser video.
While it remains to be seen whether HYBE has employed AI in the creation of ILLIT’s teaser video, it is clear that the company openly embraces technology, leaving many fans questioning where the line between human-led creativity and machine-driven creation should be drawn in the music industry.
