On Monday, September 8, Galaxy Corporation held its Global Virtual Artist Audition at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles, with G-DRAGON as the project’s headline figure. Right away, the event separated itself from the usual K-pop auditions. Instead of the process happening quietly in a rehearsal room, this was a live competition in front of an audience, with performers putting everything on the line on stage. The real twist came with the prize—those selected won’t debut in a traditional idol group, but as members of a first-of-its-kind virtual group, pointing to Galaxy’s larger plan to reimagine the future of K-pop.

The energy in the room had all the intensity of a standard K-pop audition, but there was also curiosity in the air. Everyone wanted to see how this idea of “virtual artists” would take shape. Galaxy also opened the door for media and guests to connect with company representatives, offering more background on how this audition fits into their bigger vision for entertainment.

That vision is being driven by an executive with more than a decade of experience inside K-pop’s most influential company. He began his career in 2013 at SM Entertainment, managing some of its most prominent groups, including Super Junior, EXO, and NCT. Later, he stepped into a leadership role at RED Production, the division that oversaw TVXQ! and Red Velvet. Over the years, he built a reputation for guiding ambitious projects that balanced artistry with global appeal.

One of the most notable examples was EXO Kai’s first solo album. Beyond managing the release, he played a central role in helping Kai secure a landmark collaboration with Gucci—making him the first K-pop idol to work with the brand and tying in his signature bear motif. He also produced Kai Film, an eight-minute project that paired each track from Kai’s debut EP with bold visuals blending music, fashion, and performance. It was something new for K-pop at the time, and it became a centerpiece of Kai’s solo debut that fans and industry insiders still point to as groundbreaking.

At RED Production, he continued to push creative boundaries. He managed projects ranging from TVXQ!’s solo albums and their 20th anniversary release to multiple projects for Red Velvet. Among them, the EP Feel My Rhythm stands out. The project used classical sampling to bring a fresh sound to K-pop while building its visual identity around Renaissance and Rococo art influences. The end result felt like listening to a pop record and walking through a museum at the same time—an approach that was praised as sophisticated and elevated, solidifying Red Velvet’s reputation for unique concepts.

Still, after nearly 12 years at SM Entertainment, a question lingered: Can an artist exist forever? In an industry where most idol groups fight to last beyond a seven-year contract and careers often fade as artists age, it’s a question that struck at the heart of his work.

That search for a longer-lasting model is what led him to Galaxy Corporation, where he now serves as Head of IP MUSIC. For him, the Los Angeles audition was more than just a showcase—it was the first step in building a new system where artists could transcend the limitations of time and circumstance. The concept of “eternal artists” might sound ambitious, but Galaxy is betting that virtual technology can make it a reality.

The El Rey show was more than an audition. It seemed like Galaxy was testing their idea to see if it would catch on. They combined live performances with virtual artists, showing they want to bring something different to K-pop. Even if it doesn’t change the industry, they’ve made it clear they want to spark conversations about what’s real in music.