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Virtual boy band PLAVE returns with playful new album 'PLBBUU'
Virtual K-pop boy band PLAVE / Courtesy of VLAST
By Pyo Kyung-min
Virtual boy band PLAVE is returning to the K-pop scene with its second single album "PLBBUU," out Monday. The release comes about nine months after its third mini-album "Caligo Pt.1," trading the group's previous intensity for color and playfulness.
The new project, according to VLAST, PLAVE's management label, marks a collaboration with Sanrio Korea, bringing together PLAVE's animated universe and the Japanese character brand's signature cuteness.
The three-track album features the title song "BBUU!" alongside "Hide and Seek" and "Bongsoonga." "BBUU!" blends a breezy R&B rhythm with upbeat lyrics, its title drawn from an onomatopoeia that mimics puckered lips. Its music video reportedly shows PLAVE's members turning into dolls who meet Sanrio characters, a crossover that highlights the song's whimsical charm.
Meanwhile, "Hide and Seek" offers an emotional contrast, showcasing PLAVE's signature band-driven sound. The track is the Korean version of the group’s Japanese debut single "Kakurenbo," preserving the original’s gentle sentiment while reinterpreting it through Korean lyrics. The final song, "Bongsoonga," adds a layer of warmth with its soft guitar melodies, drawing inspiration from the Korean tradition of dyeing fingernails with balsam flowers.
The official teaser image for virtual K-pop boy band PLAVE's upcoming single album, "PLBBUU," slated for release at 6 p.m. Monday / Courtesy of VLAST
The release follows PLAVE's first Asian tour, "DASH: Quantum Leap," which began in Seoul in August and spanned six cities including Taipei, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bangkok and Tokyo. The tour is set to culminate with encore concerts at Seoul's Gocheok Sky Dome on Nov. 21 and 22.
Debuting in March 2023, PLAVE is a five-member virtual boy band made up of digital avatars Yejun, Noah, Bamby, Eunho and Hamin. The group made history as the first virtual act to perform at both KSPO Dome and Gocheok Sky Dome, two of Korea's largest concert venues.