World's first robot theme park opens in Seoul: Androids dance K-pop and prepare for a world tour
In May, South Korea inaugurated the Galaxy Robot Park, a huge space where humanoid robots perform musical performances and boxing matches. The choreographies are set to famous K-pop songs, and the organizers are already planning a world tour, according to The Guardian.
The 16,500 square meter facility is located in the Gangdong district of eastern Seoul. The project is developed by Galaxy Corporation, an “enter-tech” firm that combines entertainment with technology. This company represents local megastars such as G-Dragon, Shinee's Taemin and actor Song Kang-ho.
K-pop has long served as a testing ground for experimental technologies, from the band Aespa, which combines real members with virtual avatars, to completely virtual boy bands like Plave.
In the main arena of Galaxy Robot Park, four child-sized humanoid robots take the stage and perform movements with surprising fluidity. They dance in sync to a diverse repertoire of songs, including G-Dragon's “Home Sweet Home” and Taemin's “Advice and Idea.” In the middle of the opening act, their baggy clothes and wigs flutter until one of the robots seems to break down and has to be taken off the stage.
In addition to the concert arena, the park also offers visitors other interactive experiences. At the entrance, guests are greeted by valet robots, while other robots, including robotic dogs, roam the outdoor areas. A robotic arm fitted with a face-mimicking device draws portraits and talks to customers as it works.
Also here is a boxing ring where visitors can control humanoid fighters through a real-time mirroring system. During fights, one hit can send a gauntlet flying into the crowd, and robots that fall off the stage recover and re-enter the action.
Robots on World Tour
After this inaugural show in early May, Galaxy Corporation representatives explained that they plan to hold between three and six such K-pop concerts per day, surpassing 1,000 performances per year. Choi Yong-ho, the company's chief executive and self-proclaimed “director of happiness,” said: “By the end of this year, we plan to take them on a world tour.”
The company's long-term plan is to send programmable robots to perform in places hard to reach for human performers, including war zones. The technology allows a choreography programmed just once to be instantly picked up by all robots in the network, making simultaneous performances possible in multiple countries.
Critics' reaction
But music critic and industry analyst Cha Woo-jin is skeptical whether audiences around the world will accept the shows, though he sees the plan as a worthwhile cultural and economic experiment.
“If you put a robot in an Elvis museum, the fans would be disgusted,” he says. “But K-pop is a model of visual presentation, so robots seem less alien.”
Such a robot tour would be like a cover dance band, but without the lodging or per diem expenses. The real question for the critic, however, remains whether robots can reproduce K-pop's essential ingredient: the emotional connection with fans. “This will determine whether this is a real cultural change or just a sensational show.”
