SK Telecom Launches AR-Based Guide Application 'Changdeok Arirang'
Announces 'AR Project' in Collaboration with Cultural Heritage Administration and Google
On the 27th, SK Telecom promotional models are experiencing the augmented reality (AR)-based 'Changdeok Arirang (ARirang)' service in front of Injeongjeon Hall at Changdeokgung Palace, a representative UNESCO World Heritage site in Korea. [Photo by SK Telecom]
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] 'Changdeok Arirang (ARirang)' is an augmented reality (AR)-based Changdeokgung Palace guide application developed by SK Telecom. When this app is launched on a 5th generation (5G) mobile communication smartphone and pointed at Geumcheon Bridge in Changdeokgung, a legendary creature called 'Haechi' appears with a flash. Haechi guides visitors through a total of 12 courses in Changdeokgung, from Geumcheon Bridge to Injeongjeon Hall, Huijeongdang Hall, and the rear garden entrance. Its large eyes and bluish skin add to the vividness of Haechi's presence.
SK Telecom, in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Administration and Google Korea, will offer the Changdeok Arirang app free of charge to Changdeokgung visitors starting from the 28th. This app is SK Telecom’s first B2C (business-to-consumer) service based on 5G Mobile Edge Computing (MEC). MEC is a 5G technology that enhances ultra-low latency performance for cloud gaming, smart factories, autonomous driving, and vehicle control. An SK Telecom official explained, "MEC is the core technology that created a 'data shortcut' enabling the Changdeok Arirang service."
Virtual Experience of Restricted Areas with Kings and Queens
When visitors open the Changdeok Arirang app and arrive at the restricted rear garden entrance, they see a mysterious door rendered in AR. Stepping through this door instantly transports them to the second floor of Juhamru in the tranquil rear garden. At the Nakseonjae courtyard, visitors can watch the royal court dance 'Chunaengmu' as if it were happening in real life. To provide this service, SK Telecom used 106 4K (3840×2160 pixels) cameras in an AR studio to shoot 360-degree footage at up to 60 frames per second, creating high-definition three-dimensional images.
Visitors can also explore the interiors of restricted areas such as Huijeongdang Hall and the rear garden in high-definition 360-degree virtual reality (VR) for cultural heritage preservation reasons. In the Injeongjeon courtyard, visitors can take photos with kings and queens appearing through AR technology. AR archery at Nakseonjae and AR kite flying at Sukjangmun Gate are also available.
The app can be downloaded via the Google Play Store and One Store. SK Telecom plans to operate a service lending guide devices free of charge on-site until the end of this year for visitors without 5G smartphones.
K-Content Enjoyed through AR
SK Telecom collaborated with Google, the UK-based developer 'Nexus Studio,' and Korea’s AR developer 'SeersLab' to develop immersive AR services based on Google's cloud-based augmented reality platform 'ARCore.' Due to the COVID-19 pandemic making face-to-face collaboration with Google's development team difficult, all processes including 3D stereoscopic video shooting, app development, and field testing were conducted remotely across Korea, the UK, and Singapore.
Starting in August, foreigners, people with mobility impairments, and the elderly can also tour Changdeokgung anytime and anywhere through the 'Changdeok Arirang At Home' app using AR and VR. SK Telecom installed 12 5G base stations at six locations within Changdeokgung, including Sukjangmun Gate, Nakseonjae, rear garden entrance, and the backyard of Injeongjeon Hall. The Cultural Heritage Administration installed ramps for wheelchair and stroller users and the elderly at major paths within Changdeokgung.
Jung Jae-sook, head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, said, "Untact (non-face-to-face) culture, which began due to COVID-19, is bringing changes to cultural activities such as palace tours, exhibitions, and performances," adding, "We hope 5G will provide an opportunity for people worldwide to enjoy K-content." Ye Hee-gang, head of SK Telecom’s Brand Marketing Group, said, "It is meaningful that we can convey the value of UNESCO World Cultural Heritage through 5G technology together with the Cultural Heritage Administration and Google," and added, "We will continue campaigns that contribute to society using ICT."
On the 27th, SK Telecom promotional models are experiencing the augmented reality (AR)-based 'Changdeok Arirang (ARirang)' service in front of Injeongjeon Hall at Changdeokgung Palace, a representative UNESCO World Heritage site in Korea. [Photo by SK Telecom]
Telecom Companies Eye AR and VR
SK Telecom’s Changdeok Arirang demonstrates that telecom companies are focusing on AR and VR as killer content for 5G. KT recently launched a VR language training program for students unable to attend language schools or study abroad due to COVID-19. Last month, KT also announced plans to develop a dementia prevention solution using mixed reality technology that combines AR and VR.
LG Uplus established the world’s first ultra-high-definition AR content production AR studio in Seocho-dong, Seoul, in May last year, and plans to open a second studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, in the second half of this year. According to a research report on the virtual and augmented reality content industry by the Korea Creative Content Agency, the domestic VR and AR industry market size is 5.7271 trillion won this year. Market research firm Strategy Analytics (SA) forecasts that the global AR and VR industry market size will exceed 280 billion dollars (approximately 340 trillion won) by 2025.
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