Virtual Idol Industry Growth Draws Skepticism Over Cost and Private-Life Risk Claims

Growing interest in virtual idols is drawing discussion over claims that they can offer entertainment companies lower operating costs and fewer private-life risks than traditional idols.

A representative of a virtual idol production company said virtual singers can require less money to debut and promote than human performers and described their lack of private-life risk as something resembling a “holy grail” for producers.

The representative also said some companies that had previously remained cautious began entering the market after seeing the strong 2025 sales of virtual idol acts including PLAVE and ISEGYE IDOL, while investment firms also began providing funding.

The claims drew skepticism from commenters, with several pointing out that virtual idols still rely on real performers behind their avatars and arguing that controversies, health issues, sasaeng behavior and production expenses can still affect their activities.

Netizen Reactions

The sampled comments leaned heavily skeptical, with users questioning whether virtual idols can truly avoid private life risks or operate more cheaply when real performers remain behind the characters.

1. There’s a real person behind them, so I doubt they can ever be 100% free from that kind of risk.

2. Even if a scandal happens, they can use the “separate the character from the real person” shield, so the risk isn’t completely gone, but I guess it is somewhat better.

3. Those fandoms are always contradicting themselves. When a scandal involving the real person comes up, they say the real person and the virtual idol are completely separate, but if someone says they don’t like the virtual idol, suddenly it’s “there’s a real person behind them” ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I don’t think I could ever stan because of the fandom ㅋㅋ...

4. I can understand Adam being included, but are Gorillaz virtual idols? ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ Then I guess they’re basically the Archaeopteryx of the virtual idol world ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

5. How are there no private life risks? Even the people constantly lecturing everyone about separating the two know exactly who’s inside the avatar and stan the real person like crazy.

6. Sasaengs latch onto the real person until stalker lawsuit notices get posted, schedules get canceled if the real person gets sick, and their old controversies keep getting dragged back up. How exactly is there no private life risk?

7. What do idols even make their money from..? Virtual idols have limits. People were making a huge fuss about PLAVE having lots of empty seats on their world tour too.

8. This feels like an article that neither PLAVE fans nor anyone else would really agree with.

9. Doesn’t PLAVE kind of not fit this example? I don’t think there are many virtual idols whose real identities have been exposed as thoroughly as theirs.

10. This article really doesn’t know what it’s talking about..ㅎㅎ If you do virtual idols the way PLAVE does, it costs a ton of money.

Source: TheQoo