“We Will Go on a World Tour with K-pop Robot Idols”

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*It has been translated using AI

“Robot technology will soon become more evenly advanced, just like smartphones. The real competition will come down to software and planning. By combining robots with K-pop and K-culture software, we will open a new era of entertech that excites fans around the world.”

Choi Yong-ho, whom we met on the 20th at Galaxy Robot Park, the world’s first robot-themed cultural complex in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, spoke with strong confidence about the robot business. At a rehearsal held one day before the official opening on the 21st, humanoid robots were moving in perfect sync to a K-pop dance routine. Choi said, “Next year, we will turn those robots into idols and even take them on a world tour.”

◆ The world’s first robot-centered theme park

It is the first theme park of its kind in the world. More than 20,000 people visited during the pre-opening period in July and August, and every performance sold out.

With the official opening, Choi is already looking overseas. He plans to open a second Robot Park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), within this year, and then launch third and fourth locations abroad in succession. Choi emphasized that overseas investors have responded enthusiastically because Unitree Robotics’ technology has been combined with Galaxy’s software and planning capabilities.

Born in 1989, Choi is a young entrepreneur who entered the entertainment business at the age of 22. After dropping out of college, he moved to Lyon, France, on a whim and launched K-wave, a K-pop magazine that introduced Korean culture locally. Choi recalled, “The 20,000 copies of the magazine featuring BigBang sold out in the local market, and after that, I seemed to be on a smooth path as I shot photo spreads for about 700 celebrities.”

But diversification in business became a burden. Choi said, “As I expanded into all kinds of offline businesses, including restaurants and expos, I ended up with massive debt of 10 billion won. I did not want to admit the truth and kept struggling, but then my wife became pregnant. To become a father my child would not be ashamed of, I decided to make a comeback.” On the day his son Woo-ju was born in 2019, he founded Galaxy Corporation in his son’s name.

Choi’s turnaround strategy, launched from the brink, was the ‘sub-character’ or alter ego. By boldly bringing in hip-hop artist Mommy Son, he ushered in the era of the sub-character in pop culture. Choi explained, “The COVID-19 pandemic paradoxically became a springboard for Galaxy’s leap forward. When offline stages came to a halt and the main persona struggled, the virtual-world-based sub-character was able to perform without limits and create enormous added value.” Since then, the company has produced more than 300 variety shows a year, completely changing its scale.

◆ Robots as a new medium for K-content

Having secured his place in the entertainment market, Choi is now turning his attention to Artificial Intelligence (AI) robots. His vision is not for industrial robots that feel distant from the public, but for robots that blend into daily life and sing and interact with people.

Choi stressed that robots are essential for the long-term survival and expansion of K-pop. He said, “There are limits to how many cities an artist can physically visit,” and added, “Robots and AI will become a new medium that allows artists and K-content to meet fans in more regions.”

Next month, Choi plans to unveil a robot modeled after his own face in Manhattan, New York, on International Day of Peace, which falls on September 21. He said firmly, “Robots are not beings that replace humans. They can become another alter ego that makes possible what humans could not do in reality.”

Choi emphasized, “Galaxy’s biggest goal is to create a space where children can dance with robots and smile happily. Just as K-pop began in Korea and became a culture for people around the world, we want to build a new global entertainment industry through robots.”

This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.

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