[Edaily Reporter KIM HYUNSIK ] “As a composer, my ultimate goal is to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. I want to pursue that dream through a virtual singer.”

Composer Cho Young-soo, known as a “hit-maker,” has embarked on a new challenge: producing a virtual singer. In an interview with E-Daily on the 12th, Cho expressed his anticipation, saying, “I’m feeling the same excitement I did when I debuted as a rookie composer.”

Since making his official debut as a composer in 2003, Jo Young-soo has created countless hit songs, including SG Wannabe’s “La La La,” Lee Seung-chul’s “There’s No One Like That,” Hong Jin-young’s “Battery of Love,” and Im Young-woong’s “Just Trust Me Now.” As the head of music agency Nexta Entertainment, he recently established a separate corporation, Vtopian, dedicated to the virtual artist business.

The first artist introduced through Vtopian is WON. He made his debut on the 8th with the release of “Mama Song.” WON is a virtual artist portrayed as a 20-year-old who prefers to express his emotions through music rather than words.

“Mama Song” is a pop ballad expressing longing for one’s mother, with Jo Young-soo handling the lyrics, composition, and arrangement. The song was completed by converting a guide track sung by Jo Young-soo himself through collaboration with a company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI) voice technology.

Jo Young-soo said, “Although I’ve created countless songs at the request of singers and record labels over the years, I’ve never been able to fully realize the music I wanted to make with the voice and singing style I envisioned.” He added, “The advantage of creating a virtual singer is that I can personally shape the voice, singing style, and even the physical appearance to bring my musical ideals to life,” explaining, “Thanks to technological advancements, a path has opened up for me to freely create the kind of music I’ve never been able to make before.”

In the process of perfecting Won’s voice, he drew inspiration from the vocal styles of pop stars like Justin Bieber and Charlie Puth to achieve a sophisticated yet delicate and warm sound. “I went through numerous rounds of revisions to achieve the desired tone and vocal style,” he said, adding with satisfaction, “I’m 100% satisfied with the result.”

Cho Young-soo also revealed plans to introduce three additional virtual singers in the future to launch a four-member vocal group. The goal is to create a vocal group reminiscent of the Backstreet Boys and Westlife, who enjoyed global popularity from the late 1990s to the early 2000s.

Cho Young-soo emphasized, “We are in the final stages of developing the voices and appearances of the remaining three members,” adding, “We are preparing so that members with distinct vocal tones can sing together and showcase a diverse range of charms.”