[Good Job SME]⑮ "More Creative than Lego, More Fun than Disney"... Educational Content Applying Metaverse

Play with friends in virtual space
Developed cardboard to increase students' interest
Providing content for various ages and occupations

Editor's NoteSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the national economy. Numerically, 99% of companies in South Korea are SMEs. SMEs are the workplaces of the people. 81% of workers are employed by SMEs. When SMEs falter, our economy shakes and the jobs of the people are threatened. However, negative perceptions of SMEs persist. Low treatment and unguaranteed 'work-life balance,' and uncertain future growth potential. Despite the employment crisis, young people do not choose SMEs. Here, there are people fighting these prejudices and creating good jobs and SMEs. They develop technologies that can compete with large corporations. They also devote efforts to building sound financial structures and corporate cultures to provide stable living foundations for employees. On the ground, there is the struggle of SME entrepreneurs to fulfill corporate social responsibility while nurturing companies where employees can take pride. Asia Economy visited the field and directly heard their voices.

"I want to create a metaverse world that is more creative than Lego and more fun than Disney."

Established in 2012, ‘GlobePoint’ is an edutech company based on the metaverse (extended virtual world). It provides content and educational services centered on augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and extended reality (XR). Meeting with CEO Sangyong Jo at the headquarters in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, he explained, "The reason people like games is because they are fun," adding, "I constantly thought about how to develop something a little more fun and creative."

Josangyong, CEO of Glovepoint, is being interviewed by Asia Economy at the headquarters in Goyang, Gyeonggi.

‘VRware EduSchool’ allows users to create and experience virtual spaces themselves. Users can create maps to share with teachers and students, and presentation classes are possible in various metaverse spaces. It is used in over 200 elementary, middle, and high schools. CEO Jo said, "The reason the game ‘Roblox’ is popular is because people can play together in the same space, filling the deficiencies of the real world in the virtual one," adding, "Education should actually work that way. It allows experiences that were not possible before to be done virtually."

Another product, ‘VRware StoryBuilder,’ is a multimedia VR book authoring tool that allows editing, composing, and coloring stories based on 33 classic fairy tales. Users can add speech bubbles, stickers, recordings, and creatively express desired images and content. The stories created can be enjoyed in VR.

These contents can be accessed via PC, tablet, mobile, and head-mounted displays (HMD). CEO Jo went a step further and developed cardboard viewers. It takes students 30 minutes to an hour to assemble the cardboard. By inserting a smartphone into the cardboard, they can experience VR without expensive equipment. CEO Jo said, "Students find it fascinating and fun," adding, "Our products have been widely adopted in libraries and local government education centers because they allow virtual creation and students to take home tangible results."

Josangyong, CEO of Glovepoint, is explaining about cardboard during an interview with Asia Economy at the headquarters in Goyang, Gyeonggi.

Within the education category, content is provided for various age groups and professions. It supports training for nurses, physical therapists, and caregivers. Nursing practice at nursing colleges is especially popular. The learning method uses videos created with 360-degree cameras to simulate real environments. There are ‘learning mode’ and ‘evaluation mode.’ In evaluation mode, users must select answers like ‘which syringe to bring’ or ‘how to manage blood received from the blood bank’ as if taking a test. Based on the selections, it informs which parts were correct or incorrect. Nursing professors participated from planning to on-site filming and design. CEO Jo emphasized, "During COVID-19, nursing students could not go to hospital practicums much, so this content was needed," adding, "Now that this type of class or practicum is recognized, the demand is increasing."

CEO Jo also values relationships with the local community. Having started the business in Goyang, he wants the company to grow here and become publicly listed. He said, "Next year, when the number of products increases and sales exceed 10 billion KRW, that will be the timing to consider going public."

Due to the frequent mobility characteristic of the IT industry, the company constantly thinks about how to retain talented core personnel. GlobePoint has introduced the Tomorrow Filling Deduction (Naeil Chaeum Gongje) and provides accommodations for long-distance commuters. After research projects end, developers receive research allowances to foster pride in their projects. Upon future listing, the company plans to offer benefits such as employee stock ownership to long-term employees. CEO Jo said, "We want to keep all possibilities open and instill an open mindset and spirit of challenge in employees," adding, "Regardless of company size, I want to remain an educational company that resonates with social responsibility and positive influence."