(LEAD) Galaxy Corp. opens Seoul robot park featuring K-pop performances

Seoul welcomed Galaxy Corp.'s new robot-themed park on Friday, marking a significant step in blending entertainment with advanced technology. The approximately 16,500-square-meter facility in southeastern Seoul hosted its grand opening ceremony, drawing over 20,000 visitors during its pre-opening period since July.

At the Robot Arena, surrounded by screens on all sides, AI-powered humanoid robots performed popular K-pop songs, including Yena's "Catch Catch," Rose's "APT," BIGBANG's "Bang Bang Bang," and Momoland's "Banana Chacha." In a standout performance, five people teamed up with five robots to execute taekwondo moves, eliciting applause as the robots performed jumping side kicks. Accompanying the performances were traditional Korean folk songs like "Arirang" and "Sugar Rush" from the Netflix animated film "KPop Demon Hunters."

Visitors could also interact with robot dogs and dance alongside them in various hands-on programs. Galaxy Corp.'s CEO, Choi Yong-ho, expressed optimism about the park's potential, stating that the turnout demonstrated robots' growing role in entertainment beyond industrial applications. He envisioned Galaxy Robot Park as a starting point for expanding the company's entertainment business globally, aiming to venture into the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and Japan.

Founded in 2019, Galaxy Corp. merges celebrity intellectual property with AI, robotics, and metaverse technologies, managing high-profile artists like K-pop star G-Dragon, actor Song Kang-ho, and singer Kim Jong-kook.