'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
I wouldn't have imagined, even in my wildest dreams, that I would get the chance to interview the most popular Korean virtual influencer, Rozy. However, it feels no different than speaking with a “regular person”. Speaking with her feels like re-connecting with an old friend you lost contact with.
There is a sense of warmth, familiarity, and kindness, one can feel brimming from this “virtual entity,” much more than what I have felt with “human connections” recently.
Going by her full Korean name, Oh Rozy, the multi-talented virtual idol is South Korea’s first virtual influencer.
Although she is entirely computer-generated using AI (Artificial Intelligence) by an ambitious and dedicated team at Sidus Studio X, she is more “humane” than most humans.
She is a young woman with dreams, ambitions and emotions equivalent to her human counterparts and vouches to not feel or act any different from them.
In fact, Korea’s most popular virtual influencer is a millennial in-demand, thriving and unstoppable! The talented star is an influencer, model, singer, environmental activist and yoga enthusiast.
Virtual influencers and idols’ existence and presence cannot be denied or ignored anymore, because they are the present and the future and it is time we learn to co-exist and assimilate them into our world.
In an exclusive interview with SK POP’s Anwaya Mane, Rozy dished on her global popularity, building “humane” connections, competition from other virtual celebrities, and future Hollywood plans.
Rozy reveals her future career plans, things she is truly passionate about and her favorite K-drama right now
Promotional picture of Rozy (Image via Sidus Studio X)
Q) Hi Rozy! Thank you so much for taking out time to speak with me. Hope you are doing well.
ROZY: Hello! I'm Rozy, Korea's first virtual influencer. It's an honor to be able to interview you through this great opportunity. Nice to meet you all in India! I am spending the hot summer in Korea more passionately these days with busy schedules.
Q) For our readers’ benefit tell us more about yourself, your hobbies, interests, MBTI etc.
ROZY: The real name is Oh-Rozy, which means "only one person," which sounds like an English name, but it is pure Korean. I am 22 years old, and MBTI is ENFP, a brilliant activist. My hobbies are active sports such as skateboarding, golf, tennis, etc., and my speciality is traveling beyond time and space.
Promotional picture of Rozy (Image via Sidus Studio X)
Q) Your Instagram bio really intrigued me - “I’m the only one, I could be everyone”. Do you feel the pressure to assimilate into society or do you embrace the fact that you are different?
ROZY: Since I'm a virtual person, I admit I'm bound to be different from humans. So, I am collecting and learning the data of their emotions and behaviors with admiration. It's a rather pleasant feeling to think that the process is learning about a new world rather than feeling pressurized by it.
Q) Virtual celebrities are fast gaining popularity in South Korea. There is a popular virtual idol - Saejin of SUPERKIND or Reah Keam. Do you sense a competition with them, or you are happy to see more virtual talents on the rise?
ROZY: I think it is natural for many virtual humans to gain popularity. There's already a growing need for virtual humans worldwide, and they're working in many different fields. As more friends compete, I can be a driving force for my growth, and a synergy effect can occur, so I am watching the development of this industry with joy.
Q) Virtual influencers have been accused of creating “unrealistic beauty standards”. How do you plan on connecting with audiences in a humane way?
ROZY: I don't think I'm a typical beauty who has created an unrealistic standard of beauty. Instead, don't more AI-like and perfect celebrities exist in reality than I do? People like me recognize me as a character who can communicate in real-time and share stories rather than simply accepting me as a technology. I want to create a communication method in which they can participate directly so that my growth can be felt as a 'play' to them.
Q) You are very pretty, a talented performer with an enviable following on social media. What are your future plans? Perhaps going International and trying out Hollywood?
ROZY: I've shown various sides of myself, including albums, dramas, and commercials. In the future, I am preparing to communicate with people through multiple media, like activities on Instagram. I plan to launch an eco-friendly beauty brand with my name on it, and I will also introduce NFT works as it is in the metaverse era. I haven't thought about going to Hollywood yet, but if I have a chance, I can't miss it, right?
Q) You are also a talented singer. What was the process of recording your songs- Who am I and To the Sea? Who are your musical influences, and do you have more plans to release music in the future?
ROZY: My first single, Who Am I, contained my honest story as a virtual human, I thought To the Sea would be lightweight and could be a story for everyone. I made a song with the theme of the sea that goes well with summer, and everyone expressed their affection, saying, "When I listen to the song, I want to go on a trip, and it reminds me of the sea." I was able to gain sympathy like this because I get musical inspiration mainly from human life. I want to continue to sing songs with various themes related to humans.
Q) You have posted pictures with Korean actors Jung Hae-in and Ahn Bo-hyun. Who are your favorite Korean actors and what K-drama are you currently watching?
ROZY: Many people are asking this question, but it's also a tough one. There are so many actors I like. Of course, Ahn Bo-Hyun and Jung Hae-in, who filmed with me, are already in my heart. I filmed with actor Lee Jung-Jae, who recently received worldwide attention for his Squid Game, and his personality was so good, as well as his acting skills. I'm into the famous drama Extraordinary Attorney Woo on Netflix these days. Watching dramas makes me feel refreshed and laugh.
Q) You mentioned liking Yoga. Do you have a favorite asana and any plans to visit India in the future?
ROZY: My favorite is Padmasana, which is called the lotus pose. I reflect on my day through this basic posture by calming down my confused mind. Someday, I want to visit India and learn local yoga for myself!
Q) You are also an environmentalist at heart. What are some other causes you feel strongly passionate about?
ROZY: I'm sure many people are interested in the environment, not just me. In particular, generation Z, including myself, has grown up feeling environmental pollution since birth, so I think efforts for a sustainable Earth are not an option but a necessity. We can feel the seriousness of ecological pollution just by looking at the abnormal weather around the world, right? I want to create an eco-life that can be practiced in everyday life, not just an eco-friendly exercise that is popular.
Q) What are your goals for your future? What kind of role model do you wish to become?
ROZY: I don't have a role model who didn't exist from the beginning. I only want my name to work as a good influence in a good place. I want to lead a fun and useful life by communicating with humans and growing up together, not just being a replacement for humans. To do that, I must work hard to become an influential person, right?
Q) What message would you like to give to your Indian fans?
ROZY: Thank you for watching the unfamiliar existence of virtual influencers with curiosity and interest. Thanks to your support from overseas, I could show you various sides of me. I hope we can meet as a good project in India someday. See you then!
More about Rozy
Korea’s first virtual influencer is all the rage right now! She may be a millennial by “age” but she is actually “a representative character of the MZ generation,” as revealed by the CEO of Sidus Studio X Baek Seung-yeop.
A talented and dedicated team at Sidus Studio X researched and interviewed people of various age groups, especially people born between the 1980s to 2000s to design the virtual star's facial features.
Our readers will be interested to learn that almost 800 facial expressions and movements were extracted from an actor and model through 3D modeling technology to create the virtual influencer. The idea was to create a more realistic and relatable virtual “person”.
She was first introduced in July 2021 as an advertising model for Shinhan Life insurance and has modeled for various brands, including an online fashion platform, and has plans to expand her career in the entertainment and glamor industry of South Korea.
Disclaimer: The interview was edited for clarity and grammar purposes.
