Media
How You Create a Robert Kardashian–Style Hologram--and How Much It Costs
So it turns out that Kim Kardashian whisking her friends and family off to a private island in the middle of a pandemic was only the second craziest thing about her 40th birthday celebration. On Thursday, Kardashian revealed what her husband, Kanye West, got her the birthday gift at the top of every woman's wish list: her very own hologram. And not just any hologram: It was a so-called holographic resurrection of her late father, Robert Kardashian, who died in 2003. Kaleida, a "multimedia hologram company," published a page to its website taking credit for the creation (Kardashian and West have not yet confirmed the hologram's origins). Reached by Slate, Kaleida director and producer Daniel Reynolds declined to discuss any specifics of the Kardashian hologram, but agreed to speak about the company and its technology more generally. How exactly do you order a hologram of a late relative?
What's Going On With K-Pop Group Aespa And Its AI Avatars?
SM Entertainment's announcement of its new girl group Aespa this week has left K-Pop fans intrigued, confused and concerned. The company's launch of its first all-female act since 2014 is making news for including real and virtual members. The members introduced so far are Giselle, Ningning, Karina and Winter. Each of them is expected to have an AI avatar that will also be part of the group. SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo-man said this was part of larger SM Culture Universe (SMCU) which he launched at the World Cultural Industry Forum in Seoul on Wednesday.