Expected to expand into various industries, including sports and media, centered on games.
We will provide new customer experiences and form a VR/AR ecosystem through corporate collaboration.

KT conducted strategies and experiences for immersive media services (VR/AR), which are core technologies of the 5G era.

KT showcased immersive media services using the 28GHz frequency at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. In 2017, it established a 5G pilot network at the Jeonju/Suwon World Cup Stadium, where the U-20 World Cup was held, enabling features such as "360-degree virtual reality live" and "interactive time-slice." Moving forward, including at the Olympics and events, users will be able to watch sports matches realistically through KT's immersive media services, such as Sync View and Omni Point View.

Immersive media, which is attracting attention as a next-generation business, is content based on information and communication technology (ICT) that maximizes the five human senses to provide experiences similar to reality. For example, information such as the scent of food or flowers, touch, and motion recognition can be accessed through the sensory organs. It is expected to provide users with new experiences and create new business models.

Ko Yun-jeon, Head of KT’s Future Business Development Group, emphasized, “We will leverage the ultra-high speed and ultra-low latency characteristics of 5G to enhance the immersion, realism, and real-time interaction of VR/AR.” He added, “The global market for immersive media services was valued at 8 trillion won in 2017 and is projected to grow to 91 trillion won by 2021,” stating that the market is expected to expand into the media, sports, and commerce industries, centered on games.



However, the immersive media industry cannot be viewed optimistically based solely on prospects. First, domestic content distribution is facing difficulties due to low investment in content. Furthermore, device adoption is not proceeding smoothly as sales are concentrated overseas, centered around device manufacturers. Problems also include a vicious cycle of shrinking investment caused by a lack of core technology and ambiguous legal regulations.

Due to difficulties in distributing content and devices caused by a lack of technology, legal regulations, and cost issues, Korea’s technology level was 79% of that of the United States as of 2017, with a technology gap of 2.2 years, indicating a gap in business and technology.

Accordingly, KT began the 'VRIGHT Project Collaboration' with retail company GS Retail last year to create revenue-generating content and platform infrastructure. The VRIGHT Project is an accessible VR theme park that offers FPS games, exclusive domestic AR sports, and content-optimized simulators.

KT aims to promote B2B business and generate revenue models through experiential spaces like Bright. The company announced plans to secure core competencies for content dissemination and copyrights by establishing a dedicated VR/AR fund for enterprises and engaging in continuous collaboration with business partners, while also striving to resolve national regulatory and censorship issues.

Bright, an urban theme park where a pilot service for immersive media was conducted on this day, will officially open in early March. Currently, it features about 13 types of VR content, including 'Special Force VR: UNIVERSAL WAR', a VR version of the first-person shooter game 'Special Force', and 'Flying Jet', and is expected to increase to around 50 types. Each piece of content provides a new VR/AR customer experience through HMD (Head Mounted Display) devices, which are worn on the head to enjoy large-screen images.

'Special Force VR: UNIVERSAL WAR' has become a win-win model that goes beyond content supply to incorporate IP. A representative from Special Force, participating as a leading small and medium-sized arcade company, stated, "It seems people are unable to experience VR/AR due to expensive devices," adding, "Collaboration between companies is necessary through the expansion of experiential businesses like Bright, which utilize the content and services of SMEs."

KT has set a goal to expand the market size to 1 trillion won by 2020, raise its technology level to 95%, and narrow the technology gap to less than one year. It indicated that it would develop video recognition, hologram technology, and big data-based AI content using its network infrastructure, and launch them for individual consumers within the year.

To handle the massive data traffic of immersive content that conveys information from the five senses, 5G implementation must serve as the foundation. Currently, we are in a 4.5G (pre-5G) situation where no standard for 5G has been established. In response to a question regarding whether there would be any issues with implementing KT's VR/AR technology, Director Ko stated, "There are no problems implementing the current level, but we are currently in the development stage to ensure that it can be utilized even after the standard is finalized."

KT’s Head of Future Convergence Business Promotion Office, Yoon Kyung-rim, stated, “We will provide cloud-edge-based services to offer opportunities to content developers and designers and lead the industrial ecosystem through mutual growth,” and emphasized, “We will lead the future next-generation immersive media service market by utilizing 5G for VR/AR that cannot be realized in 4G.”