'League of Legends' virtual K-pop group slays the charts

By Lim Jeong-yeo

Published : Nov. 14, 2018 - 15:28

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“POP/STARS” by virtual K-pop girl group “K/DA,” composed of game characters from online multiplayer arena game “League of Legends,” has made it to the top of the US iTunes’ K-pop and Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales charts, following its release on Nov. 3.

“K/DA Ahri, K/DA Evelynn, K/DA Kai’Sa, and K/DA Akali take the world stage with their debut single,” reads the description of the song’s music video on YouTube, which had garnered nearly 55 million views as of Wednesday.

(Billboard)

On Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart, K/DA edged out EXO’s “Tempo” and BTS’ “Fake Love” in the K-pop category.

K/DA is a virtual girl group created by “LoL” publisher Riot Games with popular champions Ahri, Evelynn, Kai’Sa and Akali, who dance and sing to Korean lyrics.

The virtual girl group has quite a detailed profile listing on the “LoL” website, with each of the four’s background and personal tastes elaborated upon, alongside their zodiac signs and heights.

K/DA (Riot Games)

Ahri (Riot Games)

Ahri, who has the nine tails of a mythical fox beast with the power to take on a human form, is the leader of K/DA and the one who unites the rest three. In terms of her role in Korean folklore, Ahri could be a distant relative of the succubus. In K/DA, she’s a fashion icon who has launched her own fragrance and won awards for her talent as a K-pop artist and her beautiful face.

Evelynn (Riot Games)

Evelynn is a “demanding diva” with high standards in music. Referred to as Eve for short, the diva has an army of fans who call themselves “Deeva.” The virtual pop star “released two hit singles ‘Agony’s Embrace’ and Ecstasy’ prior to joining K/DA.” Eve has a collection of very fast cars. She is said to be very mysterious concerning her diet. She has been romantically linked to several missing male celebrities, but the relationships have never been confirmed.

Kai'Sa (Riot Games)

Kai’Sa, nicknamed “Xiao Long Bao” after the Chinese soup dumpling, is the top dancer of the team. Her dance “begins as a rumble, like a calling from the void” within her. She is said to have won Hong Kong’s “Can You Dance” in 2018 and speaks Afrikaans fluently, as well as Chinese, Korean and English.

Akali (Riot Games)

Akali is the rapper and youngest in K/DA and a friend to street performers in whichever city she visits. She started out as a street performer herself, as well as a martial arts practitioner. Akali mixes her rap with her punk ninja style.

The voices behind the four characters are K-pop girl group (G)-IDLE’s Miyeon and Soyeon, indie pop singer-songwriter Madison Beer and vocalist Jaira Burns.

K/DA’s human alter-egos performed at the opening ceremony of the 2018 World Championship Finals for “League of Legends” at the 50,000-seat Munhak Stadium in Incheon on Nov. 3.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

'League of Legends' virtual K-pop group slays the charts

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