Naver D2SF, the startup investment arm of Naver (035420.KS), said on the 9th that it has made a new investment in virtual entertainment startup 23segi Aideul (23rd Century Kids).
Naver D2SF said it decided to invest after noting that 23segi Aideul possesses content production capabilities that leverage the characteristics of virtual artists, as well as its own proprietary technology pipeline.
23segi Aideul has independently developed virtual user experience (UX) technologies, including real-time motion capture, toon shaders, and quadruped walking and flying motion control systems. The company is also credited with building an efficient workflow that allows even a small team to quickly produce new content projects.
Earlier, WE GO-6, a virtual boy group 23segi Aideul unveiled last year, introduced a "multi-persona idol" concept in which each member performs based on a unique persona.
"Using this investment as a springboard, we plan to strengthen our content production infrastructure and deliver a higher level of quality," said Kim Hyung-min, CEO of 23segi Aideul. "Through building our own technology, we will create fan-participatory content that has never been seen in the traditional entertainment industry."
"As we have continued to invest across all areas of virtual technology, we plan to explore points of collaboration with Naver's entertainment business and related organizations such as Motion Stage," said Yang Sang-hwan, head of Naver D2SF.
