Music tech startup Verses, Inc. has won the CES 2025 Innovation Award for ‘AESPA World’, a groundbreaking metaverse music experience. Priced at approximately 500,000 KRW (around $370 USD) for platform access, the innovative platform transforms music from a passive listening experience to an interactive, immersive journey.

Developed in collaboration with SM Entertainment on Naver Z’s ZEPETO metaverse platform, AESPA World allows users to explore the K-pop group AESPA’s universe, interacting with their music and world in unprecedented ways. Launched on August 1st, the platform coincided with the group’s mini album release.

The metaverse space is divided into four key areas: a lobby, personal stage, item shop, and user-generated content (UGC) board. Users can navigate through the world as avatars, touching objects to trigger music, dance performances, and unique content interactions.

AESPA World distinguishes itself through innovative features. Users can experience interactive music item collection and remixing, explore a faithfully implemented AESPA narrative universe, and create and share user-generated content. These capabilities represent a profound transformation in how audiences engage with musical experiences.

Incorporating technologies that previously won CES Innovation Awards, including the ‘Meta Music System’ and ‘AI-based Music Video Generation’, the platform represents a paradigm shift in music consumption.

CEO of Verses emphasized their vision of using AI to create immersive, user-driven musical experiences that go beyond traditional listening.