New girl group sparks netizens' confusion: "Aren't they an AI Group?"

BIG OCEAN ENM has revealed the group photo and individual photos of the five members of the soon-to-debut girl group iii on Instagram.

iii is a five-member girl group consisting of Vivi, Nicole, Ahra, Yan, and Evie. The group's name, iii, is derived from the English word "inspiration" (in•spir•ation), carrying the meaning of hoping to become "artists who provide inspiration."

Image Source l IG iii(in•spir•ation) official

In the public group photo, the five members of iii each showcased their distinct charm, capturing the attention of K-pop fans. The photo also sparked discussions on the Korean forum theqoo. However, some netizens commented on the newly released photos, saying, "I think all five of them are good-looking, but they kind of resemble AI. I actually can't tell these five apart."

Netizens have commented: "I thought they were launching an AI group, but it turns out to be actual people", "Looking at the photos, I assumed it was a recently developed tech-savvy AI group", and "Were the photos taken poorly? Everyone's eyes look as if they've lost their soul."

Image Source l IG iii(in•spir•ation) official

Regarding the individual promotional photos of the five group members, there's heated discussion on the Korean internet. Netizens have also expressed, "They are all living and breathing humans -- how can you say they look like AI?" "Don't the people saying they all look like identical AIs realize that their comments can be hurtful?" "Did the company perhaps overdo it with the photo editing?"

However, some people believe, "They all are pretty kids," "Evie (second from the left) looks a bit like Chungha," "Looking at the production team, I am quite looking forward to their debut song."

Image Source l IG iii(in•spir•ation) official

According to related personnel from the talent agency, iii will release their debut single "Forbidden Midnight" on the 22nd at 6 PM (Korean time) through various music platforms. The lead track of the single is produced by Ryan Jean, who has previously worked on hit songs for popular K-POP artists such as IU, IVE, OH MY GIRL, etc.

Starting with the first revealed member Vivi, the group sequentially introduced other members including Nicole, Ahra, Yan, and Evie. After releasing a pre-debut track on the 22nd, the plan is for the group to officially debut in the first half of 2024.