Dancer Kang Won-rae returns as virtual avatar

▲This photo shows Kang Won-rae posing for the press during Kang Won-rae metaverse avatar's debut showcase. (Yonhap)

▲This photo shows Kang Won-rae and his avatar posing for the press during Kang Won-rae metaverse avatar's debut showcase. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, August 18 (Yonhap) -- “There is a saying that singers follow title of their songs. Like the lyrics from our song ‘Kung Ddari Sha Bah Rah,’ I want to convey a positive cheering message to not be mad when you are depressed through virtual reality.”

Kang Won-rae, a member of Clon, got up from wheelchair and came out to the stage. Wearing black suit and sunglasses, he easily danced “Dol-ri-gi dance” from his big hit song “First Love” in 2000.”

Kang Won-rae, Popular dancer in 1990, has come back not through club or concert but through a metaverse world with the help of 3D technology.

Kang Won-rae said, “I want to release Clon’s sixth album with my avatar,” adding, “Avatar is a way to live more fun life,” during the metaverse avatar showcase at Ilchi Art Hall, Seoul on Thursday.

He formed music duo Clon with DJ Koo, and their debut song 'Kung-dari Shabara' in 1996 was a national hit. With this momentum, Clone won the grand prize at the year-end awards ceremony in the first year of their debut.

Kang Won-rae continued to release hit songs such as “City Escape” and “First Love.” But he became unable to use his lower body after the serious injury from a car accident in 2000. Although he continued to dance with wheelchair, he could not perform as actively as before.

However, thanks to advances in technology, his avatar was born by combing dance moves from a choreographer who remembers Kang Won-rae’s dance and his scanned face.

Kang Won-rae said, “The person who scans my face said it would be hard to bring back my face in 20s because I gained weight,” adding, “So he used pictures of me in my 20s.”

He also said, “When I showed my avatar to DJ Koo, he said it looked like me,” adding, “ I was touched when I saw avatar moving.”

Meanwhile, Kang Won-rae mentioned DJ Koo saying, “DJ Koo is doing fine in Taiwan. But It is a false report that his wife got pregnant.”

Kang Won-rae will be working as an ambassador for metaverse music program “Ava Dream,” in which avatars make stages in the virtual world. This program will be on air in Oct. through TV chosun.

He said, “I was holding back the desire to move, dance, and do anything even 22 years after the accident,” adding, “While many are struggling and holding back from what they want to do, I hope they achieve their dreams and live happily through Virtual reality.”

Kang Won-rae said he has been preparing stages using avatars. He also said he wants to ride seesaw and swing in playground with his son and give him a horseback like any other fathers.

“I cried watching the movie 'Avatar' when the main character in a wheelchair transformed into an avatar and ran out. I wanted to feel that too.”

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Jiwon Woo.)

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