Entertainment
PLAVE is back with an even more powerful comeback this 2025
The virtual K-Pop group you need to stream right now
PLAVE is ready to take on the center stage again this 2025 with an even stronger comeback!
Who on Earth?
As the GadgetMatch team’s decade-old K-Pop stan, PLAVE isn’t a “누구” (nugu) as I already knew them from the get-go — especially when they made their surprising debut way back in 2023.
But to those who missed it, PLAVE (플레이브) is one of the industry’s so-called “virtual groups” where members aren’t real human beings (at least superficially). Rather, anime-like characters or avatars.
VLAST (which is both an entertainment agency and a VFX company), formed and introduced this K-Pop super group that pushes the boundaries in both music and entertainment.
Furthermore, PLAVE is pioneering the K-Pop industry when it comes to showing the advancements in graphics and technology, immersive story-telling, as well as self-produced artistry.
Reyal or Fakeh?!
What makes PLAVE different from other virtual idol groups is that, they are actually NOT AI. Real people are still behind the avatars you’re seeing that happened to be behind their respective MoCap (Motion Capture) suits.
Cutting to the chase, the members are talented artists who happen to make real music but also, promote in the form of virtual characters inspired from Korean webtoon series or popularly known as “Manhwa” (만화).

Members Yejun (예준), Noah (노아), and Eunho (은호) are responsible for the music — lyrics, composition, and production.
On the flip side is where Bamby (밤비) and Hamin (하민) focus on anything and everything related to choreography and performance.
Bop to the Top
PLAVE has actually made milestones ever since the beginning of their career. They became the first ever virtual K-Pop group to top major music charts — even securing first place on several music shows in South Korea.
After a year of not having any official music release (excluding OSTs), Caligo PT.1 was finally revealed to the public this February 2025.
Their latest EP (Extended Play) has attained remarkable success. Within 24 hours, it became the highest streamed album during its first day on Melon — South Korea’s top music chart.
And with their steadfast popularity, PLAVE has also entered the “Billions Club” with over a billion of cumulative streams on the said streaming platform. Six days later, their cumulative streaming total surpassed two billion.
Believe it or not, despite being a virtual K-Pop group, their latest album has sold over a million of physical copies.
Furthermore, the group’s latest title track ‘Dash’ has also made its debut on the Billboard Global 200. Meanwhile, four tracks from the album entered the Billboard Global Excluding US chart.
As of this writing, their latest music video has already garnered 10 Million Views — which is also a testament that the quintet is going stronger than ever regardless of being “just” a virtual K-Pop group.
Their live performance in Mnet’s M Countdown (South Korea’s top streaming platform on TV) even exceeded 1 Million Views.
And with almost 1 Million subscribers on YouTube, it shows how effective PLAVE is when it comes to serenading the ears and capturing the hearts of all viewers and listeners.
You can now stream PLAVE’s full Caligo Pt.1 EP in all music platforms.
And for the greatest music experience possible, stream it in Hi-Res Lossless Audio. 😉
Accessories
Soundtrack for the city: HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI TMA-2 headphones
Living in a big city like New York makes you want to have music on a lot: on the subway, walking between meetings, sitting in a café with your laptop, zoning out on a long walk home, or romanticizing the smallest things. Headphones have become an essential part of my life.
That’s why the HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI collaboration makes sense. The TMA-2 HIDDEN Edition headphones are reminiscent of early-2000s tech. It’s nostalgic but with New York City character, at least the kind that I encounter and not the one you see in movies.
If you follow either brand, the partnership feels natural. HIDDEN.NY started as an Instagram mood board and grew into a full lifestyle platform rooted in street culture and design. AIAIAI is a Danish company that’s long been part of music culture, known for modular gear that artists use.
The first thing you notice is the colorway. The transparent design with green highlights is subtle. It’s not loud but still stands out.
You can see the structure of the headphones, which makes them feel more like an accessory than just another piece of black plastic tech. Bonus points that they are a conversation starter, too.
In daily use, the headphones are easy to live with. They are light and comfortable, which is important when you’re wearing them for long stretches. They don’t clamp too hard nor do they feel bulky.
Sound-wise, they’re clean and balanced. While it doesn’t have active noise cancellation, it works well for all the ways people actually listen in a big city. I like that you don’t have to think about the sound much.
It’s just good in a way that doesn’t get in your way, whatever mood I’m in wherever I am in the city, these headphones are great company.
AIAIAI’s modular approach also means these aren’t built to be tossed when something wears out. The speaker, headband, earpads, and cable are all replaceable.
So much of the tech we use should grow with us, even if they get outdated. So AIAIAI builds systems that can be upgraded over time. That’s part of why artists and DJs use them.
Especially because it’s a collectible, it feels like a piece you’ll want to keep. As someone who uses his prized possessions for a really long time, I love this about these headphones.
In a city where everything moves fast and feels temporary, it’s nice to have gear that doesn’t feel disposable.
The campaign, shot by photographer Gunner Stahl, probably looks familiar if you’re attuned to hiphop culture. What sets his work apart is his portraits feel more raw and relaxed instead of posed and polished. It aligns with HIDDEN.NY’s aesthetic, the kind of everyday style that feels genuine.
At the end of the day, the HIDDEN.NY x AIAIAI TMA-2 Bluetooth headphones make sense for people who live in cities like New York, where music is part of how you move, work, and think.
They sound good, they look interesting and different. They fit into real life without trying too hard.
The TMA-2 Hidden Edition headphones retail for US$220 and is available on aiaiai.audio.
Entertainment
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer shows first look at Yoshi
The premiere was also moved up by a few days.
As a fan of the Super Mario games, I’m still waiting patiently for the next 3D Mario title. In the meantime, we’ve got Mario in 3D to stave off the hunger. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will premiere on April 1, and it just got a new trailer.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was announced quite some time ago, if the first film’s stinger wasn’t enough of a confirmation for you. As in that post-credits scene, Yoshi is set to make his debut. Now, the new trailer reveals the green dinosaur for the first time.
In the trailer, Mario and Luigi head to the Sand Kingdom to investigate a strange disturbance inside a pyramid. The disturbance turns out to be a scared Yoshi. What follows is a short montage of scenes from the movie but doesn’t reveal much of the connection between Yoshi and the movie’s story.
From the previous trailer, Bowser Jr. wants to claim the throne as the universe’s big baddie. It’s still unknown how Yoshi (and even Rosalina) connects to the overall plot.
Still, the trailer has a bunch of Easter eggs for fans of the franchise. For one, the Sand Kingdom is an area from the latest 3D Mario game, Super Mario Odyssey. Heading into the pyramid, you might also hear a subdued version of the “Underground Theme”. Then, when Yoshi finally appears, you’ll hear Super Mario World’s “Overworld Theme”.
The trailer also shows a peek at Birdo.
From the new trailer, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie will premiere a few days earlier on April 1. Previously, it was set to premiere on April 3.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo’s latest toy is Super Mario Wonder’s Talking Flower
Entertainment
He-Man returns in live-action Masters of the Universe
Opens in Philippine cinemas in June 2026
Legendary hero He-Man is set to return to the big screen in the live-action film Masters of the Universe. The film arrives in Philippine cinemas in June 2026.
Nicholas Galitzine stars as Prince Adam. He returns to his home world of Eternia after 15 years to find it under the rule of the evil Skeletor, played by Jared Leto. To save his family and his world, Adam must reclaim the Sword of Power and embrace his destiny as He-Man.
Directed by Travis Knight, the film also stars Camila Mendes as Teela and Idris Elba as Duncan, also known as Man-At-Arms. The cast includes Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, and Charlotte Riley, with Kristin Wiig providing the voice of Roboto.
Masters of the Universe opens in Philippine cinemas in June 2026.
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