"Not School, Not Academy?" SKT 'JamPlace' Captivates Kids' Hearts

[Asia Economy Reporter Seolgina Jo] "It’s neither a school nor an academy." SK Telecom has unveiled the first flagship store of ZEM, a wired and wireless integrated brand for children under 12 years old. It is a complex cultural space designed to capture the hearts of both parents and children, the main customer base.

According to SK Telecom on the 23rd, ‘ZEM PLAYS,’ which opened in Mapo T Town, Seoul, consists of ▲a child-led English play space ▲an ICT service zone where accompanying parents can experience and consult on SK Telecom’s ICT services.

Promoting itself as a ‘space that is neither school nor academy,’ ZEM PLAYS allows children to comfortably drop by after school and freely experience various content in English. To this end, it is equipped with ▲a giant media wall ▲reality books using AR ▲a media library where educational and play apps for English can be experienced on tablets ▲a curated bookshelf stocked with 4,500 English books ▲and classrooms where educational programs are conducted.

Children visiting ZEM PLAYS can experience so-called ‘ZEMglish (ZEM + English)’ by conversing in English with resident native-speaking crew members and using the prepared programs.

Upon entering ZEM PLAYS, the first thing that catches the eye is the massive 5.6-meter ‘media wall.’ Here, various kids’ content for English learning provided by Btv can be enjoyed. Additionally, various games that interact with the large screen can be played using alphabet cubes placed on the floor. Next to it is the ‘Reality Books’ space utilizing augmented reality (AR) technology, where opening a book reveals new images and sounds.

The ‘Media Library’ is equipped with devices that allow users to enjoy English educational app services. SK Telecom explained that as part of its ESG activities, ZEM services provide features such as blocking harmful content and managing smartphone usage time for free, helping to foster proper usage habits of smart devices.

The ‘Bookshelf’ is organized with 4,500 English books carefully selected by English specialist librarians to suit various levels and interests of children. From rare editions exclusive to ZEM PLAYS like ‘Encyclopedia for Enthusiasts,’ to pop-up books with characters that pop out, and popular titles like ‘Harry Potter,’ everything can be found in one place. Lastly, the ‘Classroom’ is the only quiet space in ZEM PLAYS where classes allowing children to creatively experience English are held. English reading programs for parents and education on smartphone and media usage habits are also prepared.

While children experience English through all five senses in the dedicated space, parents visiting ZEM PLAYS with their children can try SK Telecom’s products and services or handle official dealership tasks in the ICT service experience zone. Like the T Factory opened earlier in Hongdae, ZEM PLAYS also has a 24/7 unmanned mobile phone vending machine installed. Visitors can also relax at the adjoining caf? or the outdoor garden.

SK Telecom chose the Mapo area in Seoul as the first location for ZEM PLAYS, where families can gather to experience media and ICT technology together. This decision reflects the fact that elementary schools are densely located in the area and the family ratio consisting of parents in their 30s and 40s with young children is relatively high.

However, considering COVID-19 quarantine guidelines, SK Telecom plans to initially operate ZEM PLAYS only for customers who apply for tours. A native speaker will conduct a 50-minute tour program for one group that applies in advance through the ZEM PLAYS website (www.zemplays.com). The operation scale will be flexibly expanded depending on changes in COVID-19 quarantine guidelines.

As an opening event, expert lectures by Lee Siwon, CEO of Siwon School, and Lee Boyeon, director of the Child and Family Counseling Center, will be held untact (non-face-to-face). Applications can be submitted on the website, and up to 80 participants per session will be selected by lottery among ZEM app users. Over five sessions in April and May, topics such as child psychology (Director Lee Boyeon, Professor Kim Younghoon of Catholic University Medical School Pediatrics), English education (CEO Lee Siwon, author Bae Seonggi of ‘Hyunseo’s YouTube English Learning Method’), and parent education (Professor Ko Gwangyun of Yonsei University English Department) will be covered.

In addition, to commemorate the opening of ZEM PLAYS, visitors will receive various ZEM brand goods such as limited edition stationery featuring ZEM’s unique design, stickers to decorate mobile phones, exclusive cases, and grip-toks.

Han Myungjin, head of SK Telecom’s Marketing Group, said, “We hope ZEM PLAYS will become a community landmark in the Mapo area where children can have new experiences with various cultures and content such as English through media and technology, and parents can visit with peace of mind. We also plan to expand our role in ESG to help cultivate proper smartphone and media usage habits from an early age.”

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