Meta Hosts Metaverse Concerts for NCT Dream, STAYC, and RIIZE at Horizon Arena

Meta is holding a series of virtual concerts for K-POP artists in the arena section of its recently launched “Horizon Metaverse.” The participating groups are NCT Dream, STAYC, and RIIZE. NCT Dream performed first on September 26 under the title “The Dream Show 3 in VR,” with replay performances scheduled from November 14 to December 4. This virtual version of a live tour was created to allow fans to experience the group’s energy—known for its choreography, production quality, and fan interactions—at home. STAYC’s “Stay Tuned: An VR Experience” was recently released, featuring significantly expanded options for customizing K-POP avatars. Fans can acquire clothing, stickers, backgrounds, and other items within the Meta Horizon app, along with limited-time rewards designed for those accessing the K-POP companion experience. RIIZE is set to take the virtual stage soon, with additional details to be announced by Meta in the future. Meta stated that the Horizon engine supports “a higher concurrent user capacity,” creating an “even more vivid and dynamic atmosphere” in the arena than before. It added that improved loading and movement times enable users to participate in actions immediately. There is no need for a VR headset—all three virtual concerts can be viewed on iOS and Android mobile devices through the Meta Horizon app. This move by Meta appears to be a strategy aimed at attracting K-POP fans amid competition from platforms like Fortnite and Roblox driving the growth of music metaverses. In the past, artists such as BLACKPINK, Doja Cat, and Charli XCX have performed on Meta Horizon virtual stages, while K-POP artists have showcased various metaverse experiences on Roblox’s TWICE events, ZEPETO’s aespa performances, Tomorrow X Together’s AmazeVR Tour, and Publiz Mobile’s BLACKPINK events.