[Edaily Marketin Song Seung-Hyeon Reporter] The members of the five-member girl group OWIS performing on stage are not real people. They are 3D-generated characters. They sing and dance by applying the facial expressions and body movements of real people to the characters in real time. Since their debut last March, they have performed on music shows on both terrestrial and cable TV. SBVA (formerly SoftBank Ventures Asia) has invested in AMA, the virtual entertainment startup that created this group.

According to the venture capital (VC) industry on the 9th, SBVA participated as the lead investor in AMA’s seed round. The total amount raised was 6.9 billion won. Alongside Korea Investment Partners and ReVentures, Uncore—a label under SLL—and character company Aurora World were listed as strategic investors (SIs). Given that this investment came just one month after their debut, it represents a strong bet on the production team’s capabilities rather than the artists’ performance.

AMA was established in May of last year. Its legal name is AMA Co., Ltd., and its external brand is “All My Anecdotes.” The name, which means “all my anecdotes,” signifies the company’s intention to incorporate the unique narratives of each individual into its content. Upon officially announcing its establishment in January of this year, the company simultaneously formed partnerships with SLL and Uncore. It aims for a vertically integrated structure, directly managing everything from artist development to virtual production, music releases and performances, as well as merchandise and character licensing.

The founding team is unique. CEO Kim J-Y is a former director at Warner Music Korea who spent over 20 years in the global K-pop industry overseeing artist production, music business operations, and global partnerships. Chief Creative Officer (CCO) Lee Hae-in appeared as an idol trainee on Mnet’s “Produce 101” in 2016; after finishing in 17th place and failing to make the debut lineup, she shifted her focus to production. As the creative director for the girl group Kiss of Life, which debuted in 2023, she was involved in everything from member selection to concept development; the group went on to win the New Artist of the Year award at the 2024 Korean Music Awards. She also serves as the executive producer for the boy group Close Your Eyes, formed through JTBC’s “Project 7” in 2024.

His first artist, OWIS—a five-member group consisting of Serin, Haru, Summer, Soy, and Uni—debuted on March 23 with their first mini-album, “MUSEUM.” The group’s name is an acronym for “Only When I Sleep.” The music video for the title track surpassed 6 million views within seven days of its release, and the group’s official YouTube channel surpassed 30,000 subscribers immediately following their live debut broadcast. They performed their debut stages on Mnet’s “M Countdown,” MBC’s “Show! Music Core,” and SBS’s “Inkigayo.” They also held three consecutive concept pop-up stores at The Hyundai Seoul. Last month, they launched promotional activities for their track “Juicy,” and member Summer was selected as a host for MBC’s “V+ Music Core.”

What’s noteworthy is their production method. “PlayV” by Blast, the industry leader, is based on an optical motion capture studio that utilizes about 10 cameras. In contrast, AMA has opted for a non-optical method that uses sensors. While this approach reduces equipment costs, it can result in noise and data loss; the company is currently developing technology to correct and restore this data using artificial intelligence (AI). Last December, the company was selected for the general track of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ TIPS program, securing 500 million won in research and development (R&D) funding. Aurora World is participating as a commissioned R&D institution and also holds exclusive rights to Owis’s 3D video production and physical merchandise.

Since receiving seed investment, AMA has been expanding its business scope to include real-life artists. In July, the company signed an exclusive contract with singer Eric Nam, and in August, it recruited Audrey (from “Street Woman Fighter 2”), DJ Sooki (formerly Adora), and singer-songwriter Danny. AMA is also preparing to launch real-life girl groups and boy groups centered around Audrey and Danny and is currently holding global auditions. This marks the company’s transition from a virtual entertainment specialist to a full-fledged entertainment agency.