PLAVE (플레이브) is a five-member South Korean virtual boy group formed by VLAST: Yejun (leader), Noah, Bamby, Eunho and Hamin. The group made its official debut on March 12, 2023, with the single album Asterum.
Name and concept
The name PLAVE combines “play” and the French word rêve (“dream”). Instead of performing on camera themselves, the members appear as animated, webtoon-style avatars while singing, rapping and dancing. PLAVE is a self-producing act: the members take part in songwriting, composition, production and choreography. In the group’s storyline, Asterum is a mysterious space between Caelum and Terra where they meet their fans.
Debut and growth
PLAVE was introduced through a live broadcast on September 15, 2022, and officially debuted on March 12, 2023. In December 2023 the members announced that they were joining Weverse, becoming the first virtual group on the platform. In April 2024 VLAST announced equity investment from HYBE and YG Plus to support the group’s international expansion.
Releases
- Asterum — single album (March 12, 2023)
- ASTERUM: The Shape of Things to Come — EP (August 24, 2023)
- ASTERUM: 134-1 — EP (February 26, 2024), led by “Way 4 Luv”
- Caligo Pt.1 — EP (February 3, 2025), led by “Dash”
- PLBBUU — single album (November 10, 2025)
- Caligo Pt.2 — EP (April 13, 2026)
- Hyperdrive — EP (October 13, 2026)
Recognition
In March 2024 “Way 4 Luv” made PLAVE the first virtual idol group to win a Korean music show. Caligo Pt.1 sold over one million copies in its first week, and its single “Dash” was the first entry on the Billboard Global 200 by a virtual act since K/DA’s “More” in 2020. In November 2024 PLAVE became the first virtual idol group to perform at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA).
Concerts and touring
PLAVE held its first fan concert, Hello, Asterum!, at the Olympic Hall in Seoul in April 2024, with an encore later that year. The DASH: Quantum Leap tour visited six cities in 2025, and in 2026 the group began the KEEP IT MANIC world tour.