This article contains promotional content. (January 2022) |
Beyond Live (commonly stylized as Beyond LIVE) is an online live concert streaming service and concert series[1] by South Korean entertainment company SM Entertainment in partnership with Naver. It is a paid concert streaming service. It provides full-scaled live online concerts using technology such as augmented reality and with real-time interactions between artists and live audience enabled.[2][3][4][5][1] On its establishment, the platform has been regarded by global media as a relevant response in substituting traditional concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic.[2][6] The first live concert of the Beyond Live series was headlined by South Korean boy supergroup SuperM with the concert titled SuperM: Beyond the Future on April 26, 2020; the live concert recorded over 75,000 virtual tickets sold, playing to real-time audiences from 109 countries.[3][7][8] In August 2020, JYP Entertainment joined with SM Entertainment to create the Beyond Live Corporation, a joint venture operating and expanding the Beyond Live platform. It was launched on December 23, 2021.[9] Since its creation, multiple artists from SM and JYP have delivered full-length live online concerts within the Beyond Live series, and other K-pop entertainment enterprises started to produce virtual live concerts in a similar format.
| Online live concerts tour by SMTOWN and JYP Nation artists | |
 | |
| Venue | V Live platform |
|---|---|
| Start date | April 26, 2020 |
| No. of shows | 91 (as of April 23, 2023) |
| Producers | Beyond LIVE Corporation |
| Website | Official website |
Background, technology and media reaction
editIn April 2020, South Korea's largest entertainment company SM Entertainment and South Korean Internet search platform and media corporation Naver signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the purpose to expand the reach of concerts to a global audience.[3][2][4] The joint effort lead to the creation of Beyond Live, a series of online live concerts.[4] On April 20, SM Entertainment released a trailer on their official YouTube channel announcing the upcoming series of live concerts, with the first live show to be headlined by K-pop boy group SuperM.[10][6] Initially, Beyond Live was scheduled with four concert dates in April and May 2020. The concerts were hosted on the V Live application and made available to audiences across the world.[11][1] Subtitles in different languages were made available to the live audience.[1] Together with real-time access to the live concert, the paid audience had rights to on-demand viewing of the concerts afterwards.[12]
Beyond Live enables the diffusion of real-time performances for full-length and full-sized arena live concerts in which there are no in-person audience.[2][13] The format and design of the concert is optimized for the online audience with the aid of technology including augmented reality (AR) technology, three-dimensional backdrop graphics, live sync camera walk, and digital communication to enable real-time interactions (two-way) between performers and the online audience.[2][1][14][15] Specifically, Beyond Live concerts implement augmented reality graphics .[4][2] Artists perform on a stage before "a backdrop of screens and visuals [...] directed in real-time" by camera operators personnel.[2] Real-time communication and Q&A sessions between artists and online audience are conducted via video calls.[2]
Media reception
editGlobal media outlets like Forbes, Rolling Stone, and ABC News have commended the platform as a viable and timely alternative to traditional in-person concerts, which were being cancelled around the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as ensuing rules on social distancing and restricted travels enforced in various countries.[6][3][2][14][7] The Beyond Live concert series is also regarded as a digital innovation created to foster interactions between artists and the "technical-savvy audience."[6] In addition, Forbes remarked that, even if the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is to be ignored, the concert streaming service still addresses a prevalent need from international K-pop fans located across regions K-pop acts rarely travel to, highlighting that for areas outside certain countries in Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Australia, fans lack the chance for in-person concerts and would need to turn to online alternatives regardless.[6]
On August 4, 2020, SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment announced the launch of the Beyond Live Corporation, a joint company for virtual concerts. It was formed to grow Beyond Live into a global online concert brand by strengthening global joint business development by adding synergy between SM's content production capabilities and Naver's technology.[16][17]
Shows
editPiracy concerns
editIllegal live-streaming has been identified as a potential concern. Before the first concert in the series, the SuperM: Beyond the Future show, SM Entertainment had warned of legal actions against copyright violation streaming.[3] However, Forbes noted it is possible that many people had attempted to stream the first live show via unofficial sources.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "SuperM Promises to Perform Unreleased Songs During Augmented Reality Live Stream Concert". Billboard. April 24, 2020. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Chan, Tim (April 25, 2020). "SuperM Set Unprecedented Live Streaming Concert to Give Back to Fans". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f Herman, Tamar. "SuperM's Virtual K-Pop Concert Sees Major Earnings". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 2, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "K-pop stars look to online platforms to fill gap left by canceled performances". The Hankyoreh (english.hani.co.kr). Archived from the original on September 12, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ "SM, 세계 최초 온라인 전용 콘서트 26일 첫 선..콘서트의 새로운 미래". Naver News. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Herman, Tamar. "'Beyond Live' K-Pop Concert Streaming Service Launches With SuperM, WayV, NCT Dream And NCT 127". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 9, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ a b Kwak, Kristine (April 26, 2020). "Love Beyond Live: SuperM Livestream Concert From Seoul Is a Win for Fans, Despite Technical Issues". Variety. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ "Beyond Live: K-pop band SuperM sell 75,000 virtual tickets". IQ. April 27, 2020. Archived from the original on May 3, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ "SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment to launch joint online concert company | Yonhap News Agency". August 5, 2020. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
- ^ Beyond Live : A new era of live concert begins, archived from the original on December 4, 2020, retrieved April 30, 2020 – via YouTube
- ^ "K-pop boy band SuperM announces a new album on the way". The National. April 28, 2020. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ Smith, Sophie (April 24, 2020). "SuperM Will Debut New Songs In Cutting-Edge Broadcast". uDiscover. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ "SuperM, 신개념 온라인 콘서트 '비욘드 라이브' 첫 주자..26일 V라이브 생중계[공식]". Naver News. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ a b "K-pop boy band SuperM thrills fans as it performs concert online during coronavirus pandemic". ABC News. Archived from the original on January 31, 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ "K-pop Innovates with Online Concerts Amidst Coronavirus Woes". April 28, 2020. Archived from the original on April 29, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
- ^ "SM and JYP join hands to lead global online concert brand growth!". SM Entertainment. August 4, 2020. Archived from the original on February 6, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ Yoon, So-Yeon (August 4, 2020). "SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment join forces for Beyond LIVE Corporation". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.