The year 2026 is regarded as a new turning point for virtual idols. Following the debut of Skins, Hades, and So So Jin last year, new teams such as Miracle and Owise are launching this year. Virtual idols are creating new trends in the music market, and their potential continues to expand.

Virtual idol groups have no limits to their areas of activity, but there are practical constraints to surpassing those boundaries. The key lies not only in musical achievements but also in genuine communication with listeners. In the past, concepts were ahead of their time, but now the technical conditions to realize them have been established. Since the early 2020s, interest in virtual idols has grown, leading to the emergence of several groups such as Eternity, Isekai Idol, Maeve, and PLAVE. However, many groups approached without warmth and either disappeared or went quiet.

In April last year, the seven-member virtual boy group Skins debuted and carried out meaningful activities. Following that, in December last year, the five-member girl group Hades and the three-member girl group So So Jin were launched, and in January this year, the five-member boy group Miracle debuted. These groups are revitalizing the virtual idol market. In particular, the great success of PLAVE and advancements in AI technology have been major factors in the market's recovery. PLAVE reached million-seller status in album sales and showed strong power on music charts.

Advancements in AI technology play an important role in narrowing the distance with fans. Skins member Kwon I-rang amazed fans by demonstrating excellent rap skills in real-time on Mnet's Show Me The Money 12. This shows that the technology has advanced to a level that requires no pre-production. Oh Kyung-sun, head of Bridge Entertainment, stated, "It's not so much that the technology itself has changed a lot, but the speed at which it can be implemented has increased," confirming that real-time implementation has become possible.

Eternity is an eleven-member girl group that has directly experienced the changes from the early days of virtual idols to the present. Each member has built an independent persona, proving sustainability. Sarang emphasized, "The greatest achievement is expanding the definition of AI idols from entertainers to intelligent beings."

The newly emerging virtual idol groups this year are focusing on overcoming emotional barriers based on technological advancements. The five-member girl group Owise, scheduled to launch on March 23, opened a global fan community platform, Weverse, to communicate with fans. Lee Hae-in, CCO, said, "Please look forward to virtual idols who convey human-like emotions, not just technological results."

Durientertainment plans to launch a virtual idol group in the first half of this year. They emphasize emotional bonds by combining motion capture and animation based on 3D characters. Durientertainment stated, "Virtual Idol 2.0 will gain vitality as independent IPs in the hyper-connected era."

SM Entertainment plans to launch virtual idols through its subsidiary Studio Realive. They unveiled virtual artist trainees for the first time at SMTOWN LIVE 2025 held at Tokyo Dome last year and plan to debut them within this year. Galaxy Corporation has been conducting global auditions since the second half of last year to recruit mixed-gender and male and female idol groups.

Compared to the virtual idol boom in the early 2020s, more companies are now preparing systematically with clear direction. Attention is focused on whether a second PLAVE can be born and whether the limits of the virtual idol market can be overcome. As the second act of virtual idols begins, it will be interesting to see what changes they will bring to the music market.