Toward a world where anyone can create digital humans. The challenge of a Korean AI startup.

In recent years, driven by the dramatic advancement of generative AI technology, efforts to realize practical applications of " digital humans "—humanoid figures that move freely—are progressing across various industries.

Overseas, digital humans are already being deployed in multilingual services, news programs, and as virtual influencers, expanding the possibilities for content and services.

In this article, Aaron Zhou from Dentsu Inc.'s Business Transformation Creative Center introduces the work of 'Klleon,' a South Korean AI startup attracting global attention in the digital human field.

The Rapidly Growing Global Digital Human Market

Digital humans are now a global trend.

According to Emergen Research, the global digital human avatar market size exceeded $29.5 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $561.1 billion by 2032. With a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34.2%, phenomenal growth is anticipated.

As mentioned in previous articles, the technology behind digital humans itself is not new. However, rapid advances in generative AI technology over the past few years have dramatically improved the ability to generate text, voice, images, and video in real time, enabling personalized, natural conversations through digital humans.

Overseas, digital humans are already being put to practical use. Applications include multilingual services utilizing digital signage in stores, and their integration into various content such as social media, videos, and TV programs. However, in Japan, while some companies, including talent agencies, are advancing their use, many people likely still wonder, "What's so great about digital humans?" or "What can they be used for?"

That's why we'd like to introduce Klleon, a Korean AI startup gaining global attention in the digital human field.

Leveraging cutting-edge technology to enable easy creation of high-quality digital humans

Founded in 2018, Klleon is a startup providing solutions that utilize interactive digital humans through cutting-edge generative AI technology. With the mission of "a world where anyone can easily create video and virtual content," it enables the generation of photo, audio, and video content using minimal data through generative AI technology. The company achieved the remarkable feat of winning Innovation Awards for two products at CES 2022, one of the world's largest digital expos, and its two co-founders were also selected for Forbes' "30 Under 30 Asia."

Why has Cleon received such high global acclaim? One reason lies in its cutting-edge technology that simplifies the creation of high-quality digital humans.

For example, its Head Swap technology allows the face, expression nuances, and hairstyle of a person in a photo or video to be freely altered. This enables the flexible creation of digital humans tailored to specific scenes or dialogue content. Combining other cutting-edge technologies—such as Lip-sync generation technology that creates natural lip movements synchronized with audio and speech, and Full-Body generation technology that creates 3D avatars from just one video—enables the easy utilization of interactive digital humans without requiring large amounts of data or additional training.

In South Korea, digital humans are making a significant impact, including being featured as virtual reporters in news programs by broadcaster MBN, being utilized in shopping malls and store kiosks, and enabling multilingual content in the apparel industry.

The company launched its digital human production platform, "Klleon Studio," in 2024. Klleon Studio provides over 50 software development kits (SDKs) for digital humans tailored to various scenarios, including foreign language teachers, customer service operators, marketing personnel, travel guides, announcers, and store guides. This enables the easy creation of customized digital humans without requiring specialized knowledge.

This time, we generated a digital human of Rika Adachi, who is collaborating with Horipro and Dentsu Inc. on a digital human casting joint venture, using Klleon Studio.

A digital human generated from photos of Ms. Adachi. As shown, clothing can be changed freely (*Image is for illustrative purposes only and is a work in progress).

Digital Humans not only recognize speech for smooth conversation but also move their entire bodies and facial expressions naturally during dialogue. They support five languages, with lips moving naturally in sync with the spoken words.

For example, utilizing Ms. Adachi's digital human in applications like tourist information guides, shopping mall navigation services, or English conversation lessons could not only enhance customer experience and appeal for content/services but also contribute to solving business challenges such as labor shortages and global outreach.

What is the potential of digital humans in Japan?

Creon, with bases in South Korea and the US, established its Japanese subsidiary in 2022 and is also focusing on supporting content/service development centered around digital humans for clients within Japan.

How does the company view the potential of digital humans in Japan? Aaron Zu, who is developing the digital human business in Japan, interviewed Jin Sunghyuk, Co-founder and CEO of Creon.

Aaron: While digital human applications in Japan are often still in development or proof-of-concept stages, what kinds of business applications have been realized in Korea and the US?

　　　　　　Klleon CEO Jin Seung-hyuk

Jin: After conducting over 100 PoCs by 2023, Klleon has been creating actual practical use cases since 2024. For example, we provide an AI English tutor service for employees needing English at major Korean companies like Samsung Electronics, and we offer interactive digital humans capable of multilingual guidance at Incheon International Airport. We are also advancing a project to create interactive digital humans featuring artists from SM Entertainment, a major Korean entertainment agency.

Aaron: So, its use is expanding across various industries and scenarios. Many companies possess digital human technology. What are Creon's strengths and unique features?

Jin: For over six years, Creon has researched the core technologies necessary to build real-time interactive digital humans. We firmly believe quality is paramount. Quality means response times must be under one second, and it must manifest appropriate voice, facial expressions, and body movements for each response. Furthermore, the most critical aspect during commercialization was safely transmitting large-volume traffic while offering it at a reasonable price. We take pride in Creon being at the world's highest level in these areas.

Aaron: Cleon also operates within Japan. What specific challenges or needs in the Japanese business environment can you address?

Jin: Cleon established its Japan branch in 2022 to promptly address local requests and inquiries. We've successfully advanced projects in Japan through collaborations with major companies like TOPPAN and ADASTORIA.

Aaron: I believe digital humans hold the potential to globalize Japanese content and services. Could you share what you perceive as the unique strengths and potential of Japanese content?

　　　　Aaron Zu, Business Development Producer, Dentsu Inc.

Jin: I'm advancing business not only in the US and South Korea but also in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. From years of experience, Japan's latent potential and strength are clear. And I feel that people in Japan love content more than any other country and are meticulous about its finer details. When creating interactive digital humans, the technical aspects can't be ignored, but ultimately, I believe the most crucial factor is how compelling the content we produce can be. In that sense, I'm very grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Dentsu Inc.

Aaron: Could you share the world or mission you aim to realize through your business going forward?

Jin: I see myself as playing a role in connecting the world with the most beloved and captivating digital humans. I want to solve the diverse problems arising from communication gaps occurring worldwide.

Aaron: Thank you!

At Dentsu Inc., which operates the digital human business, we will continue to expand the possibilities of content and services in collaboration with Creon, challenging ourselves to create new customer experiences and value.

If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

[Business Inquiries]
Dentsu Inc. Business Transformation Creative Center
Aaron Z. Zhu
Contact: https://dentsu-bxcr.com/contact