[Report] SKT's 'JamPlace' Targeting Kids' Moms... "Opened the Book and a Rabbit Jumped Out"

SK Telecom Children's English Complex Cultural Space 'Jam Place'
Providing Experiences Integrating English, Play, and ICT
Impressive Mood-Based Book Recommendations and AR 'Reality Book'

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] "What shape is your mood today?"

This is the first question children receive when they visit ‘ZEM PLAYS’. ZEM PLAYS, a children's English complex cultural space opened by SK Telecom near Gongdeok Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul on the 23rd, naturally guides children’s entry through questions that stimulate their imagination. ZEM PLAYS is the first flagship store of ‘ZEM’, a wired and wireless integrated brand launched by SK Telecom in 2019 targeting elementary school students.

Exterior view of SK Telecom's 'ZEM PLAYS' near Gongdeok Station in Mapo-gu, Seoul.

ZEM PLAYS is themed around slime. Slime, which has no definite shape, changes form freely and flows here and there whenever touched, and its dynamic movement is why slime remains a popular toy among children.

The space itself looks like a giant slime. There are no straight lines in ZEM PLAYS; from the shape of the space to the interior and various props, everything is composed of curves, making it difficult to predict how the next space is arranged or flows. Even the ZEM characters blended throughout the space do not have a clear appearance, unlike typical characters.

Functionally, it felt like a space that refuses to be defined in one word. As a children’s English complex cultural space combined with ICT, it provides children with experiences that integrate English, play, and ICT, giving the impression that it aligns with the recent direction of ICT.

Book recommendations that change with mood... Impressive ‘Reality Book’ with AR experience

The first thing that greets children entering ZEM PLAYS is a ‘book recommendation kiosk’ installed at their height. By selecting what color or shape their mood is today, it recommends books. When I chose black and square, it recommended ‘Holes’ by Louis Sachar, which looks like a mystery novel. It felt like being given a kind of mission, which seemed helpful for children to enter with a goal.

Book recommendation kiosk set up at the entrance of Jam Place.

After receiving the book recommendation and taking a few steps inside, a surprisingly spacious area unfolded. On the left, there was a long bookshelf lined with books, and in the center, a hill reminiscent of a spaceship was placed. The bookshelf holds about 4,500 English books, seemingly prepared for any preference. It felt like you could immediately pick a book you like and lean or sit on the soft hill to read.

Next to the bookshelf is a 5.6-meter-wide ‘media wall’ that caught my eye from the moment I entered. On the media wall, you can watch English learning content provided by Btv or play word-matching games using alphabet cubes. When I tried the game, you fill in the blanks with the correct alphabet cubes, and cameras and sensors installed on the ceiling recognize the cubes to move to the next stage. Although simple, the time limit creates a sense of challenge, making it likely to become a popular spot among the ‘insiders’ who want to show off their English skills.

'Media Wall' where you can play an English word guessing game

Personally, the ‘Reality Book’ was impressive. Inside to the right of the media wall, there was the only dark space in ZEM PLAYS, where you can read the Reality Book. Wearing non-contact headphones and placing a dedicated book on the Reality Book reader allows you to experience augmented reality (AR) where images and sounds pour out of the book. When you open ‘Alice in Wonderland’, a rabbit walks out of the book, and when you open ‘Ocean’, a whale shark swims right in front of you.

Unlike typical AR content provided through smart device screens, the AR effects are directly applied to the book, which felt fresh. It helps children experience beyond reading and listening, effectively increasing their interest in books. SK Telecom plans to continuously expand the types of original Reality Book content.

'Reality Book' where you can experience Augmented Reality (AR)

ZEM PLAYS also has a ‘media library’ equipped with about ten tablet e-books. Each tablet has different English education apps and play apps installed, with plans to regularly update the content. Additionally, there are book sterilizers and other facilities to maintain hygiene for books and various devices.

Finally, ZEM PLAYS has a ‘classroom’. Currently, only online education is planned considering the quarantine situation, but once COVID-19 improves, offline English reading programs for children and parents, as well as education on smartphone and media usage habits, will be conducted.

'Media Library' where you can experience apps for English education/play

Fun for adults too... ICT service zone established

However, ZEM PLAYS is not only a fun space for children. It also has elements that guardians accompanying children can enjoy. While children have ZEM PLAYS, guardians have the ‘ZEM PLAYS Store’. Located in front of ZEM PLAYS, the store is designed so that parents can experience various activities while waiting for their children, from basic communication service tasks to ICT-integrated experiences.

'Jam Place Store' set up in front of the entrance to Jam Place

As the flagship store of the ZEM brand, the ZEM PLAYS Store’s biggest advantage is that specialized crew members provide guidance and allow users to try devices and plans specialized for ZEM, as well as educational subscription products like Woongjin SmartAll. It also seems to have a relatively wide range of related accessories.

Several services seen at the ‘T Factory’, an ICT experience space opened near Hongdae last year, were also present. At the entrance, there was a ‘self kiosk’, a smartphone vending machine. With just a few touches, you can receive a smartphone on-site and even activate it yourself. Since it operates 24/7, it is expected to meet the needs of customers who lose their phones or need to purchase urgently.

Customers visiting Jamplace Store are looking at the 'Bestseller Zone'.

Further inside, the ‘Bestseller Zone’ introduced at T Factory caught the eye. Picking up various smartphones allows you to conveniently compare up to three pieces of information at a glance, such as basic specifications, camera performance through actual photos, and preferred buyer demographics. It was also the area that attracted the most attention during my visit, as it was easy to browse without pressure.

Additionally, customers who find it uncomfortable to stay in the store can use the outdoor garden or cafes inside the building, so it seems unlikely to be boring while waiting for children. However, since it is located in the building lobby, it gave the impression of being somewhat detached rather than fully expressing its own character like ZEM PLAYS or T Factory.

Garden set up outside Jam Place.