Unauthorized AI

First released in August 2022, K-pop girl group NewJeans' "Hype Boy" is gaining popularity once again thanks to a rendition "sung" by well-known 61-year-old rock singer Yim Jae-beom. But Yim didn't actually record the cover, an AI program generated the song that sounds like Yim singing it.

Some of Yim's fans were surprised by how accurate artificial intelligence was able to mimic the singer's voice, down to the exact way he breathes, pauses and sighs.

"It was something that I hadn't expected before. I very much enjoyed it," said Hwang Chan-hui, 29, speaking of Yim's AI version of "Hype Boy" on YouTube.

“Of course, I know NewJeans is amazing, but my favorite (singer) is Yim Jae-beom. His husky voice drives me crazy. I’ve wished that Yim would release more diverse albums but he didn’t, which makes me a little sad."

AI-generated music has gained immense popularity in South Korea on platforms like YouTube and Instagram. Hundreds of creators are using the technology to re-create existing tracks with other artists' voices. The more unexpected the combination, the more interest it garners.

However, this trend often involves the unauthorized use of an artist's voice and music. While AI-generated music creators argue that their work should be viewed as a form of artistic expression apart from business considerations, some creators are reaping benefits -- albeit not directly from their AI works.

Spot-AI-fy, a YouTube channel that specializes in AI-generated music, carries a total of 235 video clips on the platform. Launched in May 13, the videos have recorded over 17.3 million views as of Sunday.

The videos on the channel are AI songs created by Sorisori, an AI-based music generation service, featuring the likes of what sounds like Ariana Grande singing a Korean song to an AI cover of IU singing "Cupid" by Fifty Fifty. For the monthly subscription fee of 14,800 won ($11), subscribers can generate up to 200 tracks of music using AI.