'Invitation of Light' to Gyeongju Namsan, Jeju Underwater, and Yeosu Dongbaek Forest...

The Art World Now Enters the 'Immersive Content' Era... Korea Creative Content Agency Invests 8.3 Billion Won to Drive Results
Easywith's 'Enter the Wind' · Science Show 'Dinoqua' · District Holdings' 'Dongbaek'

We are truly in the era of immersive media. With advancements in video technology, content that awakens multiple senses is expanding. Many aim to vividly recreate our reality and experiences. Through detailed depictions, they also attempt to materialize dreams. Realized with large, high-definition visuals, they convey realism and immersion. Adding vivid sound creates the illusion of being on-site. However, opportunities to experience this are limited. Although Korea’s display technology is world-class, the number of produced contents is absolutely insufficient. Core service technologies, broadcasting equipment, and specialized personnel are also relatively weak.

The Korea Creative Content Agency invested about 8.3 billion won this year to support small and medium enterprises in producing immersive content. This includes technologies such as Light Emitting Diodes (LED), projection mapping (a technique that projects images onto surfaces to make them appear as different objects), and holograms. Kim Hyo-jung, team leader of the Immersive Content Team at KOCCA, said, “Twelve content pieces generated 10.1 billion won in domestic sales and 3.3 billion won in exports,” adding, “The numbers will increase once the media art exhibition hall, delayed by COVID-19, opens.”

The results could be enjoyed all at once at the performance exhibition “Transition of Everyday Life, Wandering Imagination: Beyond The Reality,” held from the 17th to 19th at the Sungkok Art Museum in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Each piece dressed media in a new aesthetic through nomadic freedom and diverse experiences. It is a mistake to think it is difficult. Emotion is valued more than reason. It integratively stimulates separated and simplified senses, inducing a reorganization of traditional perception. It is a process where hidden perception regains its true form. Introducing three works that can be experienced in permanent exhibition halls, we take a look at the current state of the industry.

▲Easywith ‘Enter the Wind’

A pine tree trunk composed of soft curves and dots. Small leaves flutter between the gaps. It is the movement created by the wind. Moment-to-moment changing light particles blend to create a dazzling spectacle. The wind circulates nature. ‘Enter the Wind’ focuses on the life that blooms wherever particles pass. It defines the wind as a painter holding a brush and visualizes nature as sculpture and art. Kim Young-mi, head of Easywith, explained, “The foundation is the pine forest of Samneung Forest in Namsan, Gyeongju,” adding, “It shows the fleeting moments occurring in nature as the invisible flow of wind.”

The majestic scene is presented through projection mapping. The combination of 3D space scanning and artificial intelligence (AI) technology offers a beautiful and fantastic media experience. Kim said, “By merging analog production and media, we created points where visitors can easily immerse themselves.” It was difficult to fully convey this at the exhibition due to limited space and insufficient media facilities. The disappointment can be alleviated at the Easywith Museum in Gyeongju, opening in April next year. Kim added, “The ceiling height is over 6 meters. The floor is also designed for media exhibitions, allowing easy immersion,” and “We expect over 700,000 visitors annually.” She continued, “We are also planning exhibitions based on traditional Korean painting,” and “We will promote the beauty of our culture and arts overseas, including France.”

▲Science Show ‘Dinoqua’

The underwater world is incredibly fascinating. Its colors change moment by moment depending on the density of clouds and sunlight. When darkness falls, a chilling atmosphere prevails. Unknown bones pile up thickly on the seabed. Tropical fish and jellyfish swim leisurely above as if nothing is wrong. Someone watches this scene closely. It is a dinosaur large enough to fill the entire screen. ‘Dinoqua’ shows a dangerous coexistence world through large-scale video mapping and three-dimensional sound. It focuses on nature and primality, filling themes such as beaches, underwater tunnels, oceans, coral reefs, and the deep sea with artistic sensibility. The climax is decorated with dinosaurs, aiming for both popularity and harmony. Shin Ho, CEO of Science Show, said, “The fantasy concept of dinosaurs living in the deep sea can captivate both domestic and overseas visitors.”

The background of ‘Dinoqua’ is the sea around Jeju Island. Science Show will hold a customized exhibition in Jeju early next year. Using about 200 projectors in a roughly 2,000㎡ exhibition hall, they will realize large-scale spatial video mapping. Shin explained, “In this exhibition, it was expressed in a ‘一 (horizontal bar)’ shape suitable for LED displays, but originally it is a three-sided ‘ㄷ’ shape,” adding, “Next year’s exhibition will deliver the original fun and immersion of the work.” He further said, “With new storytelling and marine world realization, we will also enter Las Vegas, USA, in 2023.” The technology is already well established. They have filed six patents in virtual reality, including 360-degree video and mixed reality control systems. They plan various projects and are promoting the establishment of digital aquariums, theme parks, and interactive museums.

▲District Holdings ‘Dongbaek’

The camellia blooms when the wind turns cold. Though scentless, its bright color attracts the oriental white-eye bird, causing buds to sprout. ‘Dongbaek’ lyrically expresses that cycle and love. It captures the moment of falling flowers, blooming brilliantly and dropping with the buds, expressing the fleeting beauty of life. The fragrant scent, reminiscent of a funeral song, evokes the transience of life like the melody of a funeral procession. It can be experienced at the Arte Museum in Yeosu, opened by District Holdings last August. In a 4,600㎡ space with a height of 10 meters, it realistically unfolds an unreal world. Lee Sung-ho, CEO of District Holdings, explained, “It goes beyond simple appreciation to be felt with all five senses,” adding, “We focused on making it intuitive for anyone to understand and enjoy.”

District Holdings’ immersive content production capabilities are among the best in the industry. They are especially renowned for three-dimensional public media art implemented on flat LED screens. Notably, ‘Wave’ showcased at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, in April last year, and ‘Waterfall-NYC’ and ‘Whale #2’ exhibited in Times Square, New York, last July, attracted global attention. The company has opened Arte Museums in Jeju, Yeosu, and Gangneung, creating a stable revenue model. Lee said, “We expanded our business from B2B to B2C, tripling total sales compared to last year,” adding, “Since October last year, the Jeju Arte Museum has welcomed 898,000 visitors.” He continued, “We plan to establish Arte Museums in New York and Los Angeles next year,” and “We hope for government support to promote successful overseas expansion.”

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