S. Korea's game society partners with local arts center to create metaverse platform

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SEOUL -- Through a partnership with Korea Game Society, an academic society of video game industry officials, an arts center will develop a metaverse platform specializing in hosting performing arts events. The demand for virtual concert venues has increased in South Korea since its arts industry was devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The metaverse refers to a digital world where physical reality and virtual spaces are combined. By creating the virtual world, a metaverse platform allows users to have unusual hands-on experiences in reality. Zepeto, an avatar platform created by Naver, enables 200 million users to create their own 3D avatars using face recognition.

Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon some 34 kilometers (21 miles) south of Seoul said in a statement on August 12 that it signed a cooperative agreement with the Korea Game Society to establish a metaverse platform that can be used for hosting performing arts events. Based on studies of other similar platforms and virtual concerts, the two organizations will develop a new platform and related business models.

The potential of online performances received attention in 2020 when K-pop wonder BTS attracted millions of fans worldwide through its virtual concerts. Other K-pop acts such as BLACKPINK and SuperM invited global fans grounded by COVID-19 to online concerts.

Kim Joo-heon jhkim123@ajunews.com

S. Korea's game society partners with local arts center to create metaverse platform

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