Inside the vast Gocheok Sky Dome on the 21st, a large screen stood where stage structures for a concert would typically be. There was no central stage or runway extending toward the seats, the kind usually seen at idol concerts. As the show began, virtual members appeared at near life size within the portion of the screen that rendered the central “stage.” Side screens broadcast camera footage capturing their choreography and movements. A concert delivered entirely through screens felt unfamiliar at first, but the sense of dissonance faded as the members interacted with the audience in real time.

Virtual idol group PLAVE held its solo concert <2025 PLAVE Asia Tour - Dash: Quantum Leap Encore> at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul, on the 21st and 22nd. Over the two days, about 37,000 people came to the venue. The supersized Gocheok Dome is called the ‘stage of dreams’ for idols, and simply performing there is seen as a benchmark of success. Only a select few, such as Lim Young-woong, BTS, and BLACKPINK, have held solo concerts there, and PLAVE has now joined their ranks.

After opening with ‘Watch Me Now,’ PLAVE performed for more than three hours, singing over 20 songs including its signature tracks ‘Sixth Summer,’ ‘Dash,’ and ‘Why Why Why?.’ Although 3D virtual characters appeared on screen, the sound made it clear the vocals were live in real time. After finishing stages with intense choreography, they could be seen catching their breath and even sitting on the floor.

As important as the music was the real-time communication between the members and the audience. The members encouraged a stadium wave, saying, “You look amazing holding your light sticks,” and added, “The cheers are really loud. There will be many moments to scream today, so please save your voice.” They even winked or greeted as if looking directly at the audience.

There were also stage effects only virtual idols can pull off. In an instant, outfits and makeup changed; members appeared riding a flying car; and staging made it look as if they were seated inside a giant cave. Beyond the dazzling screens, actual dancers took the stage to build out the performances, and live rearrangements with a band were also presented.

The technical limits, however, were evident. At the concert on the 21st, due to sensor recognition errors and the like, handheld microphones were mapped awkwardly, and fingers and faces sometimes jittered severely. There were moments when the mouths of the virtual characters did not move while they sang. At the show on the 22nd, a network error briefly cut the screen feed as the members were appearing with the opening song ‘Watch Me Now.’ The members said, “This time is the real one,” and performed the opening song once more.

The agency behind PLAVE, ‘Blast,’ is less an idol management company than a technology firm based on motion capture. CEO Lee Sung-gu spent about 20 years with the Visual Art Division’s Visual Effects (VFX) team at MBC. PLAVE’s characters were created using motion capture technology from the ‘Unreal’ engine, which is mainly used in game development. Performers dance and sing out of sight; sensors capture their movements, and the graphics move accordingly.

Debuting with the single ‘Asterum’ in March 2023, PLAVE has been writing a history of ‘firsts’ as a virtual idol. In March 2024, it became the first virtual singer to take first place on a domestic music show, and in February this year, its title track ‘Dash’ entered Billboard’s Global 200 chart. In 2023, it held the first-ever solo concert by a virtual idol at Jamsil Indoor Gymnasium, and just two years after debut, it has made it to Gocheok Dome, the so-called ‘stage of dreams.’

During the show, the members said, “Back during the 100-day live, we asked if we could make it to Gocheok Dome, and that has actually happened,” adding, “It is all thanks to Pli (the fandom name).” Leader Yejun said, “This moment is not an arrival but another beginning,” and added, “I will keep working without losing my original resolve.”