[Relay Interview②] KT Leading with Platform "Expecting Profits in B2B Market from Next Year Onwards"

Relay Interview with the Heads of Immersive Media at the Three Major Telecom Companies
② Park Jeong-ho, KT IM Business Director (Executive Director)

The day of conducting business meetings via holograms like in the movie 'Kingsman' is not far off. Now, without traveling abroad, you can meet foreign teachers in virtual spaces to study languages, and even cheer for sports games with avatar friends. The era of a virtual world transcending time and space becoming commonplace is approaching. Asia Economy met with the leaders of the three major telecom companies leading the strategies for immersive media such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to hear each company's strategy.

Park Jung-ho, Executive Director in charge of KT IM Business, is explaining the company's virtual reality (VR) platform 'SuperVR'.

[Asia Economy Reporter Joeslgina] "The next media to follow cable TV, IPTV, and online video services (OTT) is virtual reality (VR). We judged that immersive content will become the trend and focused on securing the platform first."

Park Jeong-ho, Executive Director in charge of IM Business at KT, who leads KT's immersive media strategy, said in a recent interview with Asia Economy, "The platform comes first," adding, "Unlike competitors focusing on B2C (business-to-consumer) entertainment-centered businesses, KT is pushing forward by concentrating on creating a platform-centered ecosystem."

The personal immersive media service platform 'SuperVR,' launched in July last year, is the most representative example. SuperVR, the first in Korea to offer a package combining devices and content, currently provides about 10,000 pieces of content including VR video services and VR games. It is also the only paid immersive media model in Korea. Executive Director Park said, "It will take some more time before we see significant profits, but we are proceeding with a view toward the future of media platforms," emphasizing the importance of an ecosystem encompassing the entire process from platform to service to device.

KT is focusing on the B2B (business-to-business) market. It is already possible to receive eye examinations via VR at home without visiting hospitals, study languages, and even conduct rehabilitation training for dementia patients. KT believes there is sufficient corporate demand based on this. Park evaluated, "B2B has clear objectives, so the response is definite."

Park, who identified education and healthcare as the industries most suitable for immersive media application, said, "This year is the tapping stage," and predicted, "From next year, revenue generation in the B2B market will be possible." He added, "We are conducting clinical trials of VR solutions that allow brain disease patients to undergo rehabilitation and cognitive enhancement training anywhere without visiting hospitals in cooperation with Busan National University Hospital," expressing expectations that "VR medical services based on immersive media will provide a very innovative medical environment not only for patients but also for medical staff." Commercialization will be the world's first.

Considering the surge in non-face-to-face demand immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic, KT has also quickly moved to build an education platform. Park explained, "We are piloting a 'one-stop platform (KT Online Education Service)' where you can enter just by typing a URL and access real-time video classes, create and manage teaching materials, and handle attendance and assignments all at once," adding, "We will brand it between November and December and commercialize it next year."

This platform instantly solved the difficulties students and teachers faced, such as having to download 6 to 7 different applications made by various developers and worrying about copyright issues for teaching materials. He said, "We expect B2B expansion not only to schools and education offices but also later to private academies and the private education market." Additionally, he added, "We will collaborate with domestic startups to build the platform with an open structure," and "Through this, we aim to activate the market and create a virtuous cycle."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.