Exploring the K-Pop Fandom’s Response to Voice-Changing AI Usage in Music: A Case Study on “Love U Like That” (Korean Version) by Lauv

Sammanfattning

The usage of voice-changing artificial intelligence (AI) in music increased after the success of the song “Heart on My Sleeve” by Ghostwriter in 2023. However, the increased usage of AI in music poses questions regarding the perception of AI in music and whether or not a song is still appreciated by fans despite its usage of AI. Through a case study of the Korean version of the song “Love U Like That” by Western artist Lauv, this thesis examines the K- Pop fandom’s perception of voice-changing AI in music and whether the response differs in Korean and English. Responses to Lauv's song were collected from YouTube and Twitter over a 24-hour time period for further analysis. The responses were categorised based on their content into one of seven categories: “positive”, “neutral”, “negative”, “unknown”, “unrelated”, “emoji only” and “different language”. The results from the analysis suggest that fans knowing the song used AI negatively impacts their response to the song. Lastly, this thesis brings forward suggestions for future research within the field.