SHINee Taemin's "Cat" To Join Bubble—Yes, The App—And Fans Are Not Impressed

Is it innovation or is it over-the-top? SM Entertainment‘s global fan communication application Dear U‘s latest endeavor has left K-Pop fans unimpressed.

On February 12, 2025 (KST), Dear U announced it will launch the “AI Pet Bubble” service, which is meant to “connect fans and artists in an even more intimate way.”

NISI20250212_0001768059_web — | *Dear U*

SHINee member Taemin‘s cat, Daeng-i, is the first to be featured in the new service—as a characterized version.

According to Dear U, the AI Pet Bubble service will be no different from the existing K-Pop idol Bubble service. The pet, powered by AI, will create one-on-one chatrooms where users can “communicate” with the pet. Dear U noted that other artists (and presumably their pets) are expected to participate in the AI Pet Bubble service soon.

362271764_744681810997015_8184946270989165737_n — SHINee’s Taemin and his cat, Daeng | *@lm___ltm718/Threads*

Following the announcement, K-Pop fans gathered across online communities like theqoo to express disbelief at “how far the idol business is taking things” to “milk money from the fandoms.” Questioning who would actually pay to talk to AI, fans wondered if the service would last.

Screenshot 2025-02-11 at 8.26.47 PM — | *theqoo*

“Who wants to pay money to talk to AI? Who wanted this?”
“Wow… They’re literally doing everything under the sun to take money from fans.”
” It says, ‘The pet, powered by AI, will create one-on-one chatrooms where users can “communicate” with the pet.’ So, you’re not even talking to the artist. You’re talking to AI. What’s the point of this?
“Yet another service to milk fans of their money, right? The idol industry is unbelievable.”
“So… Who are you even talking to?”
“…”
“So… They want us to pay to talk to an AI pretending to be an idol’s cat? LMAO. I’d pay if it was AI somehow letting me talk to the real cat. At least that’d be cool. But this? What is this?”
“What even is this…? If it was Taemin just sending a sh*t ton of real photos and videos of Daengi, though, I’d consider it. (I like cats.)”
“So I’d have to pay to talk to an AI dog?”
“Will anyone actually subscribe???”
“Literally trying everything to scrape money off K-Pop fans…”