Galaxy Robot Park, the world's first theme park where robots perform concerts and take part in fashion shows, has opened in Seoul. Four humanoid robots dance to K-pop hits and are planning a world tour by the end of the year.
Basic context
Galaxy Robot Park is located in the Gangdong district of Seoul and covers an area of 16,500 square metres. It is the world's first theme park dedicated to robots that not only help people but also entertain them. The park was created by Galaxy Corporation, a company that positions itself as an «enter-tech» company - a combination of entertainment and technology.
Galaxy Corporation manages the career of famous artists, including megastars G-Dragon, Taemin from the band Shinee and actor Song Kang-ho, known for the film Parasite. The park embodies an innovative approach to K-pop, which has long served as a testbed for technological experiments such as SM Entertainment's Aespa virtual avatars or fully virtual boy bands.
Works on stage and development plans
During the opening, four humanoid robots the size of children performed dance routines to songs by G-Dragon and Taemin. The robots' movements were quite smooth, although one of them unexpectedly malfunctioned and was removed from the stage.
CEO of Galaxy Corporation Choi Yong-ho, who calls himself a «happiness officer», has announced plans to hold 3-6 K-pop concerts a day, which will result in more than a thousand shows a year. By the end of the year, the company plans to organise a world tour of robots.
A cultural and economic experiment
Music critic and analyst Cha Woo-jin expresses doubts about the acceptance of this format by a global audience. He notes that in other contexts, such as the Elvis Museum, robots might be rejected, but the visual nature of K-pop makes robots less alien to fans.
The analyst compares robot tours to bands that perform cover dances of famous K-pop artists, but without the cost of hotels and per diems. This creates a new cultural and economic format that could change the entertainment industry in the future.
