Haechi guides way in AR app for Changdeok Palace

Cultural Heritage Administrator Chung Jae-suk, second from left, experiences “Changdeok ARirang,” an augmented reality (AR) application developed by SK Telecom, at Changdeok Palace in central Seoul, Monday.

Technology offers new ways to explore cultural heritage

By Kwon Mee-yoo

"Changdeok ARirang," a new augmented reality (AR) application developed for Changdeok Palace, offers radical new ways for visitors to appreciate cultural heritage.

Developed by SK Telecom in collaboration with Google Korea and the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), the application digitally recreates the royal palace with 5G AR technology.

"Contactless culture, ignited by the COVID-19 pandemic, is changing our way of life. I hope the AR Changdeok Palace project will provide an opportunity for people both inside and outside Korea to enjoy aspects of Korea, including traditional cultural heritage," Cultural Heritage Administrator Chung Jae-suk said.

"It has been difficult for us to open up this part of the palace to the public because we put an emphasis on preserving it. This application allows those who cannot physically visit the palace to enjoy it in a novel way, thanks to Korea's state-of-the-art IT technology.”

Changdeok Palace is one of the five remaining royal palaces of the 1392-1910 Joseon Kingdom in Seoul and was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997 for being an "outstanding example of Far Eastern palace architecture and garden design."

Constructed in 1405 by Joseon's third king Taejong, Changdeok Palace served as the second royal palace of the kingdom and a number of kings resided there during the Joseon period.

The palace is well-known for its garden, called "Huwon" in Korean. The garden has a lotus pond, a number of pavilions and over 100 different species of trees and flowers.

At Geumcheongyo, a bridge that was built in 1411 and is the oldest extant bridge in Seoul, if visitors launch the application, a haechi sculpture will come to life on screen and serve as a guide to the palace. Haechi is an imaginary horned creature that fights off catastrophe and is a mascot for Seoul City.

The mythical animal will give a tour of 12 spots in the palace, including the main Injeongjeon Hall (National Treasure No.225), Huijeongdang Hall which was used as the king's office and Nakseonjae Hall.

The app also offers an up-close look at some of the off-limits spaces including the inside of Huijeongdang Hall and Huwon. Upon arriving at the entrance of Huwon, users will be teleported through an AR door to the Juhamnu Pavilion in the garden where Gyujanggak (royal library) is located.

Visitors can also take pictures with a Joseon king and queen through AR technology at Injeongjeon Hall and experience virtual archery and kite-flying. In front of Nakseonjae Hall, users can watch a performance of “Chunaengmu,” a type of Joseon court dance.

The application also provides barrier-free tourism at the palace, guiding visitors to available ramps that can be used instead of stairs.

The service is available through SK Telecom's 5G mobile edge computing (MEC) technology and Google Korea's cloud and AR technologies.

The application became available Tuesday for 5G smartphone devices. Those who don't have a 5G device can rent one at the palace.

Later in August, SK Telecom will release "Changdeok ARirang at Home," which offers AR and virtual reality (VR) viewing of the palace from any location. While "Changdeok ARirang" is for those who actually visit the palace, the home edition is for those who cannot come to the palace such as those in foreign countries or in vulnerable social groups.

The CHA also offers an AR application for Deoksu Palace, another Joseon-era palace in Seoul.