Beyond the avatar: Meet virtual idol Mumune

When The Korea Herald logged on for its first-ever interview with a virtual idol, the usual pre-interview rituals remained the same. There was a scheduled video call, a brief greeting and questions about a new release. The only difference was that the artist waiting on the other side of the screen introduced herself as a 206-year-old witch from a sun-scorched desert. Appearing as a Live2D avatar via Discord, Mumune spoke with the bright, easygoing confidence of any rookie K-pop artist promoting