[Experience] Big Data Knows... Receiving a 'Subscription Prescription'

SK Telecom's Ambitious Project 'T Universe'
Visiting the Subscription Specialty Store
AI Recommendations Include Flo, Baemin, and BioPublic

On the 3rd, I visited the SK Telecom PS&M Bangbang Intersection store near Gangnam Station in Seoul to experience SK Telecom's 'T Universe' subscription specialty store. The photo shows the 'Create My Own Universe Pass' corner set up in one corner of the store. Photo by Cha Min-young

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] "There are still many people who do not know about the 'T Wooju' service itself. Our role is to promote the service and help customers understand it."

SK Telecom launched the subscription service T Wooju, which is available not only to SK Telecom customers but to all 50 million customers, on the 31st of last month. It is a service package that allows users to try 18 different subscription services, including Amazon overseas direct purchase services. The key feature is that the service fee is significantly reduced through regular payments.

On the afternoon of the 4th, around 5 PM, I visited the PS&M Bangbang Intersection store near Gangnam Station in Seoul, a subscription specialty store. The subscription specialty store is staffed with subscription consultants called 'Star Crew' and was being piloted at two locations near Gangnam Station and Garosu-gil.

In-store Check-in Service

Upon entering the store and inquiring about experiencing T Wooju, the Star Crew guided me through the 'Check-in' service. It involved scanning a QR code or entering a phone number for verification. The check-in service requests consent to use personal information so that customized services can be diagnosed based on individual data usage. When asked about the retention period of personal information, Center Director Lee Cheol explained, "Personal information is not stored separately and is used only for recommending services within the store."

In-store Subscription Service Recommendation Artificial Intelligence (AI) Table

After the analysis through the check-in service was completed, I moved to the 'Subscription Service Recommendation Artificial Intelligence (AI) Table' placed in the center of the store. It is a large 85-inch touch table that can be used by two customers simultaneously, and on the screen, 18 round icon-shaped subscription services were floating. The services recommended by big data included 'Flo (music streaming)', 'Baedal Minjok (delivery)', and 'BioPublic (nutritional supplements)'. Additionally, 'Wavve (OTT)', 'V Coloring (visible coloring)', and 'Game Pass Ultimate (Xbox Game Pass)' were also listed as secondary candidates. When pressing the icons, video guides were provided. Customers could visually check the detailed services and ask the crew any questions.

A large screen occupying one corner of the store wall allowed customers to 'Create My Own Wooju Pass'. When individual icons were pressed on the small screen, related explanations appeared on the adjacent large screen. Recommended customers for Wavve were described as "those who often watch variety shows while eating" and "those who want to binge-watch dramas." Recommendations for 'DoBrain (brain education)' were parents with children aged 36 to 72 months, and for 'Tone28 (natural cosmetics)', customers seeking zero-waste products with environmental consideration. For individual consultations, customers could also receive counseling in a separate VIP seating area within the store.

T-Uju sculpture displayed by the store window

After selecting a preferred subscription product, customers could choose between two options: the 9,900 KRW monthly 'Wooju Pass All (all)' and the 4,900 KRW monthly 'Wooju Pass Mini (mini)'. Wooju Pass All included 3,000 points for 11th Street, free shipping for Amazon overseas direct purchase (worth 22,000 KRW), two 5,000 KRW discount coupons, and the 'Google One' storage service of 100GB (worth 2,400 KRW), along with one additional subscription service tailored to personal preferences, totaling four services. However, the 11th Street service is valid for three months and only for users of the '11th Street Shinhan Card' partnership card, and the Google One service is provided for 12 months, so careful verification is necessary.

Visiting the store suggested that the role of the Star Crew is crucial to the success of SK Telecom's 'subscription experiment'. In reality, most customers who showed interest in the service found the center through smartphone consultations rather than coming in knowing about T Wooju beforehand. This highlights the need for face-to-face counseling tailored to customers' perspectives and interests. SK Telecom plans to increase the number of T Crew to about 1,200. Center Director Lee Cheol said, "There is an apartment complex nearby, so housewives over 50 years old often visit. Instead of giving complicated explanations, I explain that they can get up to 30% discount when purchasing at the nearby 'Paris Baguette', which seems to help them understand better."

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