An Avatar That Looks Just Like Me? ... Dongmyeong University Visual Design Department Holds Graduation Exhibition

Promotional poster for the Dongmyung University Visual Design Department graduation exhibition.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] The Department of Visual Design at Dongmyung University is holding its graduation exhibition in a two-track format, featuring a 'pre-opening event and online viewing' as well as an offline exhibition at Busan Citizens Park.

This year’s graduation work opening utilized the global metaverse platform 'Spatial,' following the 2021 graduation exhibition openings that used Gather Town and MEUM.

In the metaverse space, not only are the graduation works exhibited, but graduates, professors, and guests attending the opening can explore the works as avatars mapped with their own faces, take photos together, and have conversations.

Jung Won-jun, head of the Visual Design Department, cited the vivid sense of presence?unachievable in previous metaverse experiences?as the strength of this exhibition.

Even those unable to visit the exhibition offline can enjoy a more immersive viewing experience by using full-body avatars and customization features that reflect their actual faces, which is a distinctive advantage of this year’s metaverse graduation exhibition.

The graduation exhibition showcases diverse research outcomes from 43 prospective graduates in areas such as ▲Graphic Design ▲Illustration ▲Package Design ▲Character Design ▲Identity Design and Branding ▲UI/UX Design.

The graduation works will be open to the public and corporate representatives for four days, from 2 p.m. on the 1st to 7 p.m. on the 4th, at the Citizens Sarangchae Maze Exhibition Room in Busan Citizens Park.

Kim Hyun-jin, chair of the graduation preparation committee, and Lee Yu-rim, chair of the publicity committee, who prepared the exhibition, said they chose Spatial because “using avatars with one’s own face provides a much friendlier and more enjoyable user experience than previous metaverse platforms.”

The Visual Design Department at Dongmyung University has continuously conducted blended online and offline classes using metaverse and shared documents since starting with Gather Town in 2021.

The department also operates the ‘2022 AI-Linked Creator Training Project’ supported by the Korea Creative Content Agency and has opened a metaverse software-linked major supported by the SW-centered project, continuously pursuing new attempts and achievements.

Since May, ‘Spatial’ has collaborated with the metaverse avatar platform ‘Ready Player Me’ to provide avatar services that vividly capture real-life-based faces and expressions.

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