GD is using AI to upend K-Pop, and Galaxy says it will go public with an IPO next year! 威剛 (ADATA) and Jay Chou are also investors

GD Agency Galaxy is set to list in South Korea and New York in 2027, and it is currently preparing for overseas pre-IPO fundraising. Founded in 2019, Galaxy has raised about $150 million to date. Investors include G-Dragon, Jay Chou, Taiwan memory chip manufacturer Adata, and more than 30 Korean institutional investors. Of particular note is that GD is not only an investor, but also the core IP behind Galaxy’s business model. In 2025, he generated nearly KRW 300 billion in revenue for the company, with a personal share of about KRW 60 billion.

This AI entertainment technology company is expected to launch a four-member virtual girl group in 2026. This path is still full of uncertainty. Although the market has already seen the virtual boy group Plave, whether AI idols can maintain long-term fan engagement and “authenticity” remains highly questioned. Especially when it comes to emotional connection and creative identity, AI models have not yet fully convinced mainstream audiences.

Galaxy’s roster includes GD, Song Kang-ho, and Kim Jong-kook

Founded in 2019, Galaxy has raised about $150 million to date. Investors include G-Dragon, Jay Chou, Taiwan memory chip manufacturer Adata, and more than 30 Korean institutional investors. The company is currently preparing an overseas pre-IPO round of financing and plans to conduct a dual listing in 2027.

Of particular note is that GD is not only an investor, but also the core IP behind Galaxy’s business model. In 2025, he generated nearly KRW 300 billion in revenue for the company, with a personal share of about KRW 60 billion.

In recent years, Galaxy Corporation has drawn significant market attention for signing G-Dragon. The company is positioned around “AI entertainment technology,” combining artificial intelligence, robots, and content production, and is seen as one of the important representatives of South Korea’s entertainment industry transformation. In addition to G-Dragon, its roster also includes Kim Jong-kook and Academy Award winner Song Kang-ho, continuing to expand its lineup of celebrities. It has also recently been reported that it has shown a high level of sincerity and is seeking for the female singer Kwon Eun-bi to join.

(GD’s a mentor to Eun-bi! As AI entertainment company Galaxy rises, Taiwan’s Adata unexpectedly becomes a concept stock)

Galaxy uses AI to upend the traditional K-Pop idol system

Galaxy founder and CEO Choi Yong-ho is trying to disrupt the traditional K-pop idol system. In the past, entertainment companies in Korea such as SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment relied on long-term trainee programs and the operation of real-life idols. Galaxy’s strategy, however, is to replace some human performers with AI characters and life-sized robots, building a content production system “not limited by humans.”

Choi has said plainly that the company’s goal is to “complete everything with AI, from start to finish,” and to turn idols into digital assets that can be replicated endlessly. The core advantage of this model lies in scalability: real artists cannot perform year-round without rest, but virtual avatars can operate 365 days a year. This expands concerts—once accessible only to a small number of viewers—into large-scale, repeatable content products.

Can the virtual idol route work?

At present, Galaxy has already launched multiple concrete plans. The company expects to debut a four-member virtual girl group in 2026 and will use AI tools (such as music generation and image generation models) to produce content, claiming it can reduce the cost of traditional Korean MVs of about $2 million by 90% to 99%. In addition, Galaxy is also collaborating with a robotics company to develop physical idols, and plans to launch virtual concerts similar to ABBA Voyage in Asia in 2027, with a seat capacity of about 3,000.

The longer-term blueprint is to build a multiverse entertainment system of “human artists × virtual characters × robots.” The idea is to first roll out virtual idols, then introduce robots into physical form, ultimately creating an IP loop with a mix of real and virtual. The company is also expanding its artist roster, including actor Song Kang-ho from the film Parasite and Taemin, a member of SHINee.

However, this path still carries uncertainty. Although the market has already seen the virtual boy group Plave, and Netflix has promoted animated idol content, whether AI idols can maintain long-term fan engagement and “authenticity” remains under heavy doubt. Industry analysis suggests that the virtual music market is still in a highly experimental stage, especially regarding emotional connection and creative identity—AI models have not yet fully convinced mainstream audiences.

In this article, GD’s company uses AI to overturn K-Pop, and Galaxy is rumored to be listing with an IPO next year! Adata and Jay Chou are also investors. First appeared in Chain News ABMedia.