Photo = VLAST

 

How does a virtual idol group that does not physically stand on stage bring tens of thousands of spectators into concert venues? PLAVE announced that it will hold its first world tour, '2026 PLAVE WORLD TOUR 'KEEP IT MANIC',' starting in Incheon this September.

 

What audiences see on stage are virtual members appearing in real time on large screens. It is not a pre-recorded video, but a format in which they communicate directly with the audience during the performance. The members on screen sing live, respond to sing-alongs, and laugh spontaneously. That moment is a live experience that cannot be recreated through recordings or videos. This is why fans go all the way to concert venues to see members they can otherwise only meet through screens. The waves, sing-alongs, and encore requests that filled Gocheok Sky Dome proved that even if the format of seeing the artist is different, the texture of the live scene created by fandom is no different.

 

In the early days of PLAVE’s production, people around VLAST CEO LEE SUNGKU told him, “It must be nice that virtual groups have no human risk.” It meant that since they promote as virtual characters, there would be no concern over getting caught up in incidents or controversies. From the beginning of their debut, PLAVE was followed by skepticism that viewed virtual idols as similar to game NPCs or animated characters, or as a subculture enjoyed only by certain fan groups. Because awareness of virtual artists was still limited, they were often consumed through an unfamiliar lens on broadcasts as well.

 

PLAVE overturned that prejudice with numbers. Its first solo concert, held just one year after debut, sold out all seats within 10 minutes of ticket sales opening. After holding its first fan concert at Olympic Hall, a venue with around 5,000 seats, in April 2024, PLAVE became the first virtual artist to hold a solo concert at Gocheok Sky Dome 19 months later, in November 2025. The size of the venue increased by about 6.8 times. The cumulative audience for its 2025 Asia tour reached 126,018 across 12 shows in six cities, and the two-day Gocheok Dome concerts alone drew about 33,000 people. In the same year, its album sales reached 2,353,570 copies, and both albums recorded initial chodong million-seller status for two consecutive releases. PLAVE’s annual digital music score on Hanteo Chart was 2,969,985 points, ranking No. 6 among all artists. PLAVE said, “We were able to become the PLAVE we are today by overcoming prejudice against virtual idols.” Those words are persuasive because that prejudice was real, and they truly overcame it.

 

PLAVE declared this tour a world tour that takes things one step further from last year’s Asia tour, which visited six cities across Asia. The currently announced cities are centered in Asia, including Incheon, Kanagawa, Kaohsiung, Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, and Macau, but the poster clearly states “and more,” hinting at additional cities to be revealed and raising expectations for expansion beyond Asia. The tour title 'KEEP IT MANIC' reads like a declaration that PLAVE will carry its unique energy as it is. Their journey, which began on screen, is now standing on the stage of a world tour.