Metaverse Era — Character IP NFT Issuance: 'New Business Accelerating'

Excerpted from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's "2022 Character Industry White Paper." Prolonged COVID-19 and expanded online/mobile character usage are driving character IP evolution into virtual influencers. BT21 (LINE FRIENDS characters combined with BTS) pioneered this trend, leading industry commercialization by operating characters as virtual influencers across social media — expanding character worldviews and enabling fan participation through social challenges.

Key virtual influencers launched: Rozy (로지) — developed by VFX company Sidus Studio X using AI facial analysis to create non-existent faces with 800+ expressions; gained prominence as Shinhan Life insurance model, earning 1 billion+ won in 2021 through fashion magazine, pictorial, and corporate collaborations; debuted as singer in 2022. Reah Keem (김래아) — LG Electronics' virtual influencer introduced at CES 2021 as AI content creator; represents LG's ThinQ AI brand. Lucy (루시) — Lotte Home Shopping virtual influencer; Rui (루이) — DOB Studio startup; Sua (수아) — Kakao subsidiary Neptune. Industry acceleration factors: metaverse platform growth (ZEPETO, ifland) creating demand for virtual content creators; NFT issuance enabling digital ownership of virtual character interactions; MZ generation preference for parasocial relationships with idealized virtual figures; lower production costs vs. human influencers; 24/7 content availability without scheduling constraints; elimination of scandal/personal image risks. The convergence of character IP, virtual influencers, metaverse, and NFT represents a fundamental shift in how Korean entertainment and consumer brands engage with audiences globally.