Singapore, Oct. 10, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — aespa, the hugely popular up-and-coming female K-Pop group from SM Entertainment, which includes four real members as well as their respective online avatars, is teaming up with visual artist and NFT -queen Blake Kathryn launches an exclusive NFT collection. The collection marks the world’s first collaboration between a K-pop group and a global NFT artist and will be available from Thursday 13 October at 5pm EST through Friday the 21st. October at 11:00 a.m. EST Sotheby’s Metaverse. This collaboration was jointly facilitated by connecting dotts, an APAC/US strategy agency connecting brands, consumers, talent and content creators and INVNT.ATOM™, a global innovative brand experience agency at the forefront of the digital frontier.
Each artwork in eh girls The NFT collection features the personality, elements and signature identity of each band member and their avatars; perfectly combined with the surreal futuristic aesthetic of Blake Kathryn’s work, creating the ultimate collaboration between the artists. The atmosphere used is specially composed for this collection by SM Entertainment.
The eh girls The NFT collection includes a 3-part series:
- MY Pass – Open Edition NFT, an access key for every fan and collector. Each MY Pass comes with a free NFT from a collection of 16 different works that have been specially adapted and prepared by each member of aespa.
- Altars – A total of 32 special and limited editions, four (4) artworks by each aespa member made in editions of eight (8). Each digital artwork embodies their iconography, the aespa metaverse world, the KWANGYA aesthetic, and includes tools such as a GLB file, and a personal recording of each aespa member talking about the collaborative artwork. Issue 01 of each Altars series will go to the highest bidder and also includes a signed autograph print by the members and Blake Kathryn.
- Dreamspace – Super exclusive single edition 1:1 artwork that is an environmental reflection of each aespa member. This artwork offers the ultimate fan experience that includes a GLB file, a video recording of aespa and Blake Kathryn talking about the artwork, a virtual meet-and-greet with Blake Kathryn, and an all-expenses-paid meet-and-greet with aespa in Seoul at their concert along with a physical print signed by each aespa member + Blake Kathryn.
The eh girls the collection will be open to all buyers and bidders, with each series available for a 48-hour period throughout the week-long auction. Bidding can be done via credit card, not just cryptocurrency. MY Pass and Limited Edition NFTs will be available at a fixed price. Sotheby’s, the world’s premier destination for art and luxury, will host a preview of all the digital artworks in Hong Kong alongside highlights from Sotheby’s Fall 2022 sales series, including Modern & Contemporary Art from 2 to 9 October, followed by a exhibition in Sotheby’s galleries in New York from 13 – 20 October.
“From the beginning, aespa has been a very forward-thinking group, embracing technology and the metaverse with creativity as a core part of their identity, and their fans have responded enthusiastically. This eh girls collection, beautifully crafted in collaboration with Blake Kathryn, one of the most prominent female artists working in Web3, further expands, cultivates and expands aespa’s web3 community, says SM Entertainment.
“It was a pleasure to collaborate with aespa on this first-of-its-kind NFT collection,” said Blake Kathryn. “This release is an authentic reflection of Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning and captures the unique essence and qualities of each of these powerful women. My hope is that it reflects female artists who are pushing the boundaries of what is possible and blurring the boundaries between real and virtual to create a new kind of fandom.”
“The adaptability of NFTs has opened up many new avenues for communities of collectors and fans to connect with their favorite artists and musicians. This collaboration between aespa and artist Blake Kathryn represents the best of how digital art and NFTs can bring together physical and virtual worlds to give fans a special experience only possible with NFTs, and we are thrilled to offer this sale at Sotheby’s Metaverse,” said Michael Bouhanna, Sotheby’s Head of NFTs and Digital Art.
“There is no cultural force more powerful than K-pop at the moment,” said Rita Magnus, CEO of connecting dots. “The eh girls collection will introduce this passionate fandom to the Web3 world, giving fans a whole new way to connect with their favorite band. Bridging these worlds with talents like aespa and Blake has been a remarkable first.”
Elvin Tan, CEO INVNT.ATOM, said: “We are incredibly proud that INVNT.ATOM has led strategy, creativity, design, content, artist and auction house management, as well as the execution of marketing campaigns. This collaboration puts storytelling front and center; expanding the world of art and music from the physical to the new reality – an exciting new frontier for all fans. We believe this is the perfect introduction for K-Pop fans to enter the Web3, the metaverse and beyond.”
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About aespa
aespa is SM Entertainment’s hot new female foursome, who in an unprecedented debut move surpassed 100 million views on their debut video, “Black Mamba” (the record for the fastest debut K-Pop video in YouTube history). They debuted on the charts in 95 countries at launch, notably the Billboard Global Excl. US at No. 100 within just 3 days of being taken into consideration, marking the highest ranking of any female K-pop group’s debut song. The femme powerhouse of KARINA, WINTER, GISELLE and NINGNING also includes their avatars – a storytelling concept that drew these 100 million views to a single video in 51 days.
Combine “ae” (avatar and experience) + “aspect” and you get aespa, which moves between reality and virtual reality, with the avatars representing their counterparts. Each avatar, called “ae”, is created from each member’s personal data in a virtual world and can be “recalled” into the real world. aespa, in ethos and function, represents something else.
Their recent debut EP, “Savage” debuted at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 chart, the highest ranking ever for a K-pop girl group debut on the US album chart. The six-track EP, led by title track ‘Savage’, also ranked at No.2 on Billboard’s Top Selling Albums chart, rounding off two remarkable fortnights that also saw ‘Savage’ reach No.1 on iTunes’ Top Albums chart in 20 countries upon release. They lean into their individuality, are unapologetically confident (with a stake in the world of sci-fi) and have industry insiders eager to bet they’ll be the girl group to watch in 2022. Beyond praise from Forbes, Teen Vogue, Rolling Stone, Flaunt, and more, TIME named them among “The Next Generation Leaders, Class of 2022” and Forbes Asia recognized them on its “30 Under 30” list for 2022. They have been named global ambassadors for both Chopard and Givenchy. Most recently named Apple Music’s Global Up Next
artist artist for June 2022, the quartet recently released the single “Life’s Too Short” and the EP, “Girls” – The 2nd Mini Album via Warner Records.
About SM Entertainment
SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. is Korea’s largest entertainment company founded in 1995 by producer Soo-Man Lee, widely known as the “founder of K-pop”. The company has developed and popularized a number of K-pop stars with huge global fandoms and is known for spearheading the global K-pop phenomenon “Hallyu”, also known as the “Korean Wave”. The company is a representative of the entertainment industry in Asia, and operates its own comprehensive entertainment business, including artist development, record label services, talent agency services, music production, music publishing, event management and concert production.
About Blake Kathryn
Blake Kathryn is a Los Angeles-based 3d artist with a surreal futuristic aesthetic. Her work combines vivid palettes with ethereal undertones. Inspired by tomorrow’s opulent dreams together with a penchant for retrofuturism, she infuses her work with unfamiliar nostalgia. She has collaborated with aespa, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Paris Hilton, Lil Nas X and more.
About Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s was established in 1744 and is the world’s leading destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access to and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auction and buy-now channels, including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 70 categories that include Contemporary Art, Modern & Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Artwork, Jewelry, Watches, Wine & Spirits, and Design, as well as Collector Cars and property. Sotheby’s believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable and collaborative.
About connecting the dots
connecting dots is a fully integrated group of entertainment experts, storytellers and strategic partners connecting the dots in the world of entertainment between brands, consumers, talent and content creators. Headquartered in Singapore with teams in South Korea and the US, we collaborate and push the envelope with innovative, creative and original ideas for multi-dimensional projects ranging from content exhibitions, pop culture exhibitions, brand engagement to NFT collaborations ready for Web3.0. For more information, visit. www.connectingdotts.net.
About INVNT.ATOM
INVNT.ATOM, part of [INVNT GROUP] THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT, is an innovation and brand experience agency dedicated to helping global brands chart course, navigate, enable and create new opportunities at the digital frontier of the Web3. Based in Singapore, the collective of strategists, marketers, creators, programmers, matchmakers and thought leaders turn strategies into stories and stories into experiences that engage communities on the global stage. For more information about INVNT.ATOM, visit: www.invntatom.com.
About [INVNT GROUP]
[INVNT GROUP] was established in 2020, as an evolution of the founding global storytelling agency INVNT in 2008, with a vision to provide consistent, meaningful and well-articulated BrandStory across all platforms. With offices in New York, Sydney, London, Singapore, Dubai, San Francisco, Stockholm, Detroit and Washington DC; led by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, [INVNT GROUP], THE GLOBAL BRANDSTORY PROJECT represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward-thinking organizations everywhere, impact audiences that matter, anywhere. The GROUP consists of the modern brand strategy firm Folk Hero; creative led cultural consultancy, opinion; production studio and creative agency, HEVĒ; events for colleges and universities, INVNT Higher Ed; digital innovation division, INVNT.ATOM; creative multimedia experience studio, Hypnogram; and the original storytelling agency for living brands, INVNT. For more information visit www.invntgroup.com.
