[NE Coffee Chat] Team Pearl "Combining Art and Technology to Enter the Global Market"

Building a Business Model for 'Branding Solutions Through Convergent Art'

Sofitel Ambassador Seoul, located in Jamsil, Seoul, attracts attention with a vending machine decorated in cherry blossom colors. This machine contains luck that can be obtained through an augmented reality (AR) based mobile game offered exclusively during the cherry blossom season at the hotel. Prizes such as buffet meal vouchers and champagne hidden within the artist’s work provide a unique experience for customers visiting the hotel to enjoy the cherry blossoms. This cherry blossom event, which links AR and offline experiences, was planned by the startup Teampearl. Teampearl is opening new markets by conducting 30 to 40 projects annually with solutions that fuse art and technology.

On the 25th, Jeong Hyeju, CEO of Teampearl, said, "A new market is forming in the field that combines art and technology," adding, "Teampearl carries out projects through collaboration among experts from various fields, not just artists." Founded in 2022 by CEOs Seong Sujin and Jeong Hyeju, Teampearl officially established its business model of 'branding solutions through convergent art' last year when it converted to a corporation.

Sung Sujin, CEO of Teampearl (left), and CEO Jeong Hyeju are explaining the project. Photo by Teampearl

The most actively applied solution is the web-based AR (augmented reality) exhibition solution. Representative cases include exhibitions using this technology at the National Institute of Ecology, Lotte World Aquarium, and Hanoi. In the case of the National Institute of Ecology, the exhibition showed creatures coexisting on Geogryeolbiyeoldo Island by linking offline displays with AR, and visitors who completed missions received limited edition postcards as rewards from the vending machine, gaining popularity. Teampearl was responsible for everything from planning, considering visitor flow, to installing and operating the vending machines. CEO Seong Sujin explained, "We believed that rewards through vending machines should include many interactive elements that encourage direct participation to be enjoyable," adding, "The key is to make people feel like they are communicating."

Pop-up stores, whose demand has recently surged, are also one of Teampearl’s main targets. Since pop-ups can be seen as a type of exhibition, similar methods and solutions from the art field can be applied. CEO Jeong said, "We are implementing pop-up stores through exhibitions that utilize art and technology in collaboration with artists," adding, "We provide additional artistic experiences by utilizing existing spaces."

Teampearl’s solutions are based on the artistic approaches of its members who majored in fine arts. Appropriate technology is then applied. This means they specialize in artistically expressing desired images and worldviews by fusing them with technology. CEO Jeong said, "Rather than specializing in technology itself, we use technologies suitable for implementing content depending on the space," adding, "If the technology is used contemporarily, it can be integrated with art."

Teampearl’s artistic worldview is also expressed through the virtual creature 'Peary.' Peary, shaped like a pearl, embodies Teampearl’s concept of creating a world. Teampearl uses this intellectual property (IP) to represent brand images. CEO Seong introduced, "We use our unique IP as a means to lower the barriers of contemporary art," adding, "It is not just about the character itself but can be expanded through collaboration with companies."

Teampearl’s vision now turns toward the global market. They have set a goal to enter the market through corporate collaborations. CEO Seong emphasized, "I believe it is better to actively bring content," adding, "The novelty of AR is not just the technology itself but the differentiated approach, which I think makes us competitive in the global market as well."