VISUAL NEWS

No Dance Practice
Needed?
How AI Changed
K-Pop Challenges

“NEON,” the debut song by rookie girl group A2O Light, is making waves online. From listening to the song to joining in on the challenge, what has captured people's attention?

Topping Melon's Chart
Right After Debut

29hours

“NEON,” released on October 13, reached No. 1 on Melon Top 100 at 11 p.m. on October 14, just 29 hours after its release. It set the fastest record for a rookie group's debut song since the chart was revamped in 2021.

No. 1Melon daily chart, October 18

13.6 million+Official music video views
As of the article's stated reference point

9 membersNumber of A2O Light members

What Caught People's Attention First
Was the Chorus

The chorus drew as much attention as the song's chart performance. Listeners said “Neon and beyond” sounded like Korean, and started singing along with whatever words they heard.

Never married, happily singleDivorced, happily singleGastritis and rhinitis

These playful phrases stay with you after just one listen. The trend soon spread into video parodies.

But the Parodies
Didn't Stop at the Lyrics

It went beyond hearing the lyrics differently.
This time, videos appeared that used AI to superimpose celebrities' faces.
The same song and choreography took on a completely different feel.

AI parody screenshot 01 ? Lee Sooman × Yoo Youngjin

Lee Sooman × Yoo Youngjin @515sunnyday

AI parody screenshot 02 ? Park Myungsoo × Jung Junho

Park Myungsoo × Jung Junho @hypnos_chris

AI parody screenshot 03 ? Lee Jaeyong × Chey Taewon

Lee Jaeyong × Chey Taewon @Profit_Lx

AI parody screenshot 04 ? Yoo Jitae × Choi Minsik

Yoo Jitae × Choi Minsik @poeticallyfreak

Even with the same music and moves, the fun takes on a different character depending on who's dancing.

Hard to Dance Along To,
But Definitely Fun to Watch

3 minutes 28 seconds

Unlike the trend toward songs under three minutes, “NEON” runs for 3 minutes and 28 seconds.

High-difficulty choreography

Choreographer J Black said, “I sent over a draft, but they asked me to make it a little more difficult.”

The song, worked on by Yoo Youngjin and U.S. producer Dem Jointz, features a powerful beat, a cappella harmonies, high notes and a dance break. This stage performance became material for AI parodies.

A2O Light performing NEON and its choreography

Courtesy of A2O Entertainment.

The More Fun It Gets,
the Bigger the Challenges of AI Parody

It is difficult to determine how much AI parodies contributed to the song's success. Because they use people's faces, issues involving portrait rights and copyright also need to be considered.