Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
North Gyeongsang Province implements metaverse with rich cultural, tourism assets
A conceptual image of a virtual studio, which is planned to be built in the old concrete factory site of Ssangyong E&C in Mungyeong / Courtesy of North Gyeongsang Provincial Government
By Jung Da-hyun
Local government promotes various projects using new technology
North Gyeongsang Province is launching metaverse projects that reflect specific regional features of the province, with a strong focus on promoting its culture and tourism industry.
The province has an ambitious plan for the old concrete factory site of Ssangyong Engineering and Construction Company in Mungyeong. The plan is to transform the site into a virtual studio capable of shooting videos regardless of time and with any conceivable background.
Originally, the site in the city was highlighted as a filming location for mystery genre movies or dramas due to its dark and unique atmosphere, which is difficult to find elsewhere in Korea.
It has been a significant filming location for filmmakers after the factory stopped operating in June 2018. Korean movies like "Alienoid," a mystery action movie, and "Black Knight," a Korean drama series released on Netflix in May this year, as well as the second season of "Sweet Home," a Korean drama in the mystery genre, were all filmed at this location.
The planned virtual studio in Mungyeong, equipped with large LEDs in the background, ceiling and floor of the set, will not only provide a wide-ranging filmmaking environment but also contribute to reducing time and costs compared to conventional studios using blue-screen photography.
Andong Hahoe Folk Village / Yonhap
Moreover, the province plans to develop region-specific metaverse content by utilizing tourist spots, aiming to diversify and boost local cultural tourism.
Two folk villages ― Andong Hahoe Folk Village and Yangdong Folk Village ― and Goun Temple, one of the head temples of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, have been recreated in a 3D virtual space, using advanced equipment such as LiDAR drones, which utilize laser-emitting light to scan the ground and measure distances.
The two folk villages, in particular, are sites that were recognized as quintessentially Korean places and registered as UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2010.
The 3D modeling work for these designated spots has been completed, and the public can experience and enjoy the virtual space as of next year. Specific local content using advanced equipment to enable a virtual experience of a "hanok" village will also be allowed. Hanok is the Korean word for a Korean traditional house.
A street lined with shops in Hwangnam-dong of Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, is empty amid the COVID-19 pandemic, April 9, 2020. Yonhap
To further enhance the commercial district of Gyeongju's Hwangnam-dong, the province has introduced a metaverse service that allows people to view the shops in virtual spaces. An online service is also being prepared, enabling customers to purchase products from these shops online.
This initiative comes as a response to the recession in commercial districts in alleys, exacerbated after the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the need for a new type of marketing platform to support small business owners and cater to the trend-sensitive younger generations.
The primary function of this service is to realistically experience and view the inside and outside of the shops, and even aerial views of the shops, in virtual space.
Additionally, there are various intriguing types of content for visitors, such as treasure hunts based on augmented reality (AR) and AR photo zones. These types of content are seamlessly linked to offline services, allowing the coupons obtained from treasure hunts to be redeemed for discounts at actual stores during their visit.
According to an official of the local government, the province is striving to revitalize tourism and culture in the region by using the metaverse to highlight its cultural resources and plans to introduce technology across various fields.