Lotte Homeshopping Collaborates with Metaverse Companies to Launch 'Virtual Showhost'

Lotte Homeshopping's self-developed virtual model 'Lucy'.

NEW (Content Production), Engine (Visual Effects), KAIST (Artificial Intelligence Research Institute) Sign Business Agreement
Expanding Activities Such as 'Virtual Show Host' by Advancing Self-Developed Virtual Model 'Lucy'

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Lotte Homeshopping announced on the 1st that it will accelerate its metaverse business by partnering with domestic companies possessing metaverse technology to develop its self-developed virtual model 'Lucy' into a 'virtual show host' and more.

'Lucy' is a virtual model developed by Lotte Homeshopping's specialized in-house team since September last year as part of its metaverse business. It uses hyperrealism modeling capable of expressing even the fine hairs on the skin by synthesizing a virtual face onto actual photographed images. 'Lucy' is a 29-year-old model and design researcher majoring in industrial design, who has been active as an influencer on social networking services (SNS) since February this year and currently has 21,000 followers. Recently, she has been engaging in external activities such as participating in experiential marketing targeting power influencers at the fashion culture editing space 'Musinsa Terrace.' Lotte Homeshopping plans to actively utilize 'Lucy' in shopping services by advancing her movements and voice expressions to a human-like level and further expand her activities as a 'virtual show host.'

To this end, on the 31st of last month, Lotte Homeshopping signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on metahuman development with digital content production company Next Entertainment World (NEW), visual effects company Engine Visual Wave, and KAIST at its headquarters in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. Attendees at the signing ceremony included Jin-ho, Head of Digital Business Division at Lotte Homeshopping; Dong-wook Seo, Vice President of NEW; Sung-gyu Lee, CEO of Engine; and Soo-young Lee, Professor at KAIST. Under this agreement, Lotte Homeshopping plans to gradually expand 'Lucy’s' roles as an AI virtual consultant for product ordering and guidance, and as a virtual show host by advancing her with AI-based voice expression technology.

NEW operates entertainment businesses including movies, music, dramas, digital content, and platforms, and has recently been focusing on content development linked to the metaverse. Engine possesses top-tier metaverse technology in Korea, providing visual effects for movies, dramas, and OTT content, as well as implementing BTS stages as augmented reality (AR) performances. KAIST’s Artificial Intelligence Research Institute has excellent research achievements in video and voice-based user emotion recognition and is developing advanced conversational AI technologies.

Jin-ho, Head of Digital Business Division at Lotte Homeshopping, said, "Reflecting metaverse trends, we have signed a business agreement with companies possessing professional technology and research capabilities to advance our self-developed virtual model 'Lucy' to a human-like level and expand its utilization scope. Going forward, we will accelerate digital transformation by actively promoting metaverse services based on advanced technologies beyond AR and virtual reality (VR)."

Lotte Homeshopping signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on metahuman development at its headquarters in Yangpyeong-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul on the 31st of last month. (From left) Seonggyu Lee, CEO of Engine Visual Wave; Dongwook Seo, Vice President of NEW; Ho Jin, Head of Digital Business Division at Lotte Homeshopping; Sooyoung Lee, Professor at KAIST.

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