"I Will Do It Properly" SKT Challenges to Become the '5G Content Kingdom' (Comprehensive)

Yu Young-sang, Head of SK Telecom's MNO Business, appeared as a 3D hologram in a virtual space during an online briefing on the 20th to announce SK Telecom's 5G content business strategy.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seulgina Jo] "We will properly take on the new immersive media content business. (Yoo Sang-young, SK Telecom MNO Business Head)"

SK Telecom announced its plan to leap into a 5G content kingdom centered on 'Jump Studio,' which has relocated to its headquarters, T Tower. While expanding and relocating the mixed reality (MR) production studio 'Jump Studio,' which integrates immersive media technologies such as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) by 1.5 times, the company will also accelerate the global expansion of its flagship service, 'Jump AR·VR.'

"Jump Studio, a 5G Content Mecca"

On the morning of the 20th, SK Telecom announced through an online briefing that it would expand and relocate Jump Studio to its headquarters, T Tower, and actively expand its 5G mobile communication-based content business.

At the briefing, Yoo Sang-young, SK Telecom MNO Business Head, who appeared as a 3D hologram in virtual space, said, "Jump Studio will become a content mecca in Asia beyond South Korea," and expressed his ambition, "We will introduce various immersive media contents in line with the era of non-face-to-face communication triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic."

Jump Studio is SK Telecom's 5G content business strategic base that drastically reduces the time and cost of generating 3D holograms. Based on 3D video capture technology, 106 cameras shoot at 60 frames per second to create high-definition 3D holograms. In April this year, SK Telecom partnered with Microsoft (MS) to relocate Jump Studio, which was previously established in the SK Namsan Building, to T Tower, expanding its scale by 1.5 times.

Yang Maeng-seok, SK Telecom 5GX Service Business Manager, introduced, "Jump Studio is a studio that produces content in various fields and plays a role in strengthening the assets for enhancing the Jump AR·VR service," adding, "Compared to the past, content can be produced in a short period at a reasonable cost." The usual work time, which took months, is shortened to weeks, and costs are reduced to less than half.

The 'Volumetric Human' performance by choreographer Lia Kim, unveiled to commemorate the relocation to T Tower, was also completed in just one week at Jump Studio. Lia Kim's 3D hologram appears in various forms in virtual space, dancing together or appearing as a giant, attracting attention.

Jeon Jin-soo, SK Telecom 5GX Service Business Head, explained the reason for the relocation, saying, "We judged that T Tower is suitable as a space where we can communicate closely with customers." Yang Maeng-seok emphasized that the newly opened Jump Studio will "play a leading role in opening a new culture and era that did not exist before," and added, "We will create a K-content era following K-pop and K-games."

A scene from the 'Volumetric Human' performance by K-pop's leading choreographer Lia Kim. This performance was produced at SKT Jump Studio and will be released to fans worldwide starting on the 20th through the official YouTube channel of 1MILLION Dance Studio.

Accelerating 5G Content Business with a Two-Track Strategy

SK Telecom is targeting the 5G content business with a two-track strategy led by Jump Studio: ▲ producing ultra-realistic content for companies in entertainment, advertising, sports, and education sectors ▲ providing Jump AR·VR services (applications) in the global market.

First, the company will expand the business of custom-producing ultra-realistic content tailored to the demands of various companies such as those in entertainment. Recently, SK Telecom attracted attention by virtually presenting a 12-meter-tall 'Giant' Choi Si-won at SM Entertainment's online concert 'Beyond Live.'

Alongside this, the company will strengthen the content within the Jump AR·VR app to provide various services to users worldwide. The Jump AR·VR app, which allows users to summon cute AR animals and their favorite celebrities to take photos and videos together, is recently evaluated as an optimized format for short-form user-generated content (UGC), especially among younger generations. Additionally, it is understood that the average monthly data usage of Jump AR·VR app users is three times higher than that of other SK Telecom subscribers, playing a leading role in content in the 5G era.

Yoo Sang-young, MNO Business Head, emphasized, "The current number of subscribers is about 3 million," and added, "The goal is 10 million next year."

Global expansion will also be accelerated. The first overseas launch country for the Jump AR·VR service is Hong Kong, which commercialized 5G this year. Instead of exporting content to overseas companies on a one-time basis, the service will be launched in local markets under the 'Jump' brand in partnership with global companies. SK Telecom recently signed a business cooperation agreement with PCCW Group, Hong Kong's top telecommunications company, focusing on ▲ local marketing cooperation for Jump AR·VR services ▲ joint production and investment in 5G content ▲ discovery of new AR·VR businesses.

Yoo Sang-young mentioned the Asia-Pacific telecommunications alliance 'Bridge Alliance,' to which SK Telecom belongs, saying, "Just as we have roaming one-stop partnerships with alliance partners, Jump content will also be provided simultaneously," and revealed the roadmap, "Alliance member telecom companies such as Singtel will become partners providing services in their countries."

He added, "Furthermore, discussions are underway with European DT and US T-Mobile," and said, "We also plan to simultaneously produce high-quality VR and AR content." After next year, the business model for Jump AR·VR will be concretized and the transition to a revenue business will be considered. However, for now, the strategy focuses on qualitative and quantitative growth of 5G content rather than sales.

Introducing 'Virtual Meetup' Where Up to 100 Avatars Communicate in Virtual Space

On this day, SK Telecom also unveiled 'Virtual Meetup,' a social communication service where users can create their own avatars and have up to 100 people simultaneously connect in virtual space for conferences, performances, exhibitions, and other gatherings. Jo Ik-hwan, 5GX Service Development Manager, who introduced the service, said, "We attached the exciting phrase 'the future of the untact era,'" and explained, "It is a service that overcomes the limitations of non-face-to-face interactions and enables more vivid meetings, performances, exhibitions, and more."

Users who want non-face-to-face meetings can host gatherings and invite acquaintances without any separate VR devices. It supports everything from small group meetings to large conferences, fan meetings, and concerts. It also has a function to place and exhibit brand items within the virtual space, raising expectations for future use as an advertising platform.

Jeon Jin-soo, the head of the division, said, "It supports up to 100 avatars participating simultaneously and supports multi-platforms such as Android," adding, "It allows interaction through voice and text as well as presentation sharing. Realistic 3D characters can also be summoned." He explained that it could safely and vividly replace various offline gatherings that were abruptly cut off due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The service is expected to be available for free on the Jump VR app as early as this month.

Since 2013, SK Telecom has been developing various proprietary technologies such as multi-texture rendering, ultra-low latency real-time synchronization, and avatar frameworks based on its own AR·VR technology platform, T Real Platform, aiming to realize a 'Virtual Social World.' This year alone, the company registered 44 patents related to AR·VR technologies, securing a total of about 140 patents. Next year, it plans to further expand the AR·VR content ecosystem by releasing a content production platform for individual users and 3rd party partners.

Yang Maeng-seok said, "Jump AR will continuously supply new AR content, and Jump VR will strengthen social functions," adding, "By adding volumetric technology from Jump Studio, we will provide immersive experiences. We will also expand customer participation through functions that allow direct editing, sharing, and participation."

Steve Sullivan, head of Microsoft's Mixed Reality Capture Studio business, said, "Jump Studio has created a stir by unveiling high-quality volumetric content combined with 5G in various fields such as K-pop and sports just a few months after opening," and added, "We are proud of our partnership with SK Telecom and will continue to cooperate steadily in the future."

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