K-pop Idols Under Attack from AI Deepfake Technology
- lewishooper1
- 9 hours ago
- 2 min read
The growing issue of AI deepfake apps targeting K-pop celebrities has been the latest concern for many Korean netizens. Read on to find out more about this pressing issue.
What's been going on?
K-pop idols are facing an ever-growing wave of AI deepfake apps, which are heading down the sexually suggestive route, which are sparking outrage on social media amongst fans.
The ads, appearing on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, encourage users to create fake kissing videos by merging their photos with those of K-pop stars, highlighting a worrying trend in the exploitation of AI, which, with technology ever advancing, will things get worse before they get better?
What are AI deepfakes?
Genuine content or AI deepfakes? This is the question that people are asking every day!
Deepfakes are a kind of technology that typically uses powerful networks and algorithms to learn the facial expressions, features, movements, and sometimes even voices from individuals.
Once the AI has learnt all of these features, the AI deepfake network can manipulate existing footage and change one person's face, voice, and mannerisms onto another's body.
So what is the goal?
The goal of deepfakes is to create videos or images that are virtually indistinguishable from genuine content, which is very worrying, especially to public figures such as K-pop idols and actors. Advanced techniques can even replicate subtle details like skin texture, lighting, and even the way someone speaks (audio deepfakes).
Final thoughts
K-pop idols in South Korea have to struggle with the ever-growing deepfake crimes, which sadly are committed daily, due to the exposure and overuse of online chat rooms such as Telegram. Here, images are often shared and doctored with household names, including AI-generated pornographic content, and then circulated. It has been confirmed that a disturbing rise in K-pop singers being targeted by deepfake pornography.
With the ever-growing concern of AI deepfakes, as technology continues to grow and target K-pop idols, we would love to hear your solutions to this problem in the comments below!