The concept of a "metaverse" has gained a lot of attention in recent years. A metaverse is a virtual world where users can interact with each other and digital objects in a seamless, immersive environment.
With the COVID-19 lockdown, virtual worlds shot to popularity as people looked for new ways to interact with each other given the social distancing norms in place. This helped boost the mainstream adoption of the metaverse.
Since then, there have been an influx of users, brands and some of the biggest organisations on metaverse platforms. And now, several cities are also exploring the use of the metaverse to better serve their citizens.
"Meta Seoul" in South Korea is one such example of a metaverse city. This article will explore the features and offerings of Meta Seoul, and how it is shaping the future of digital interaction in South Korea.
Meta Seoul: What is it?
Meta Seoul is a virtual city created by the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG). It is a digital replica of South Korea's capital city of Seoul where users can participate in a range of different activities.
The virtual city will enable visitors to take virtual tours of historical sites, attend concerts and festivals, and even shop at virtual stores. Meta Seoul also offers a range of games and sports and even houses a university campus.
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the project is focused on creating a virtual ecosystem that will connect every sector of its administration starting this year. These sectors would include economic, educational, cultural, civic services, and tourism.
The project, which combines cutting-edge technologies such as VR and XR (Extended Reality), will unfold in three different stages and should be fully operational by 2026. The city of Seoul has invested almost 48 trillion won, an equivalent of almost $3.8 billion, to realise ‘Seoul Culture Vision 2030,’ an ambitious project in which this virtual city will play an integral role.
In a press briefing on January 16, 2023, the Mayor of Seoul, Oh Se-hoon officially launched the first phase of Meta Seoul. The project, which has completed the beta testing process, saw an investment of almost two billion won, an equivalent of $1.6 million.
How will Meta Seoul operate and what services will it offer?
According to the Mayor, the project will serve as a platform for communication for the citizens of Seoul. The virtual city will offer provisions for the citizens to visit virtual government offices where they can access official documents and file a complaint if they want to. There will also be provisions for receiving answers to queries related to municipal tax filings.
The virtual city will house all the tourist sites and attractions which people can visit from the comfort of their homes. The government is also working on injecting lost historical sites such as the Donuimam Gate, which was obliterated back in 1915. People can go to these sites and travel around in their virtual avatars. They can even enjoy popular festivals online such as the Seoul Lantern Festival. All this will be a part of the ‘Virtual Tourist Zone’ where a citizen can enjoy these attractions from the comfort of their home, with just a pair of VR headsets.
The Mayor also stated that the second phase of Meta Seoul would have certain features dedicated to the senior citizens of the city. According to data from Statista, as of 2022, 17 percent of South Korea’s population comprises senior citizens who are more than 65 years old. Many of these citizens face difficulty in visiting city offices in person and getting matters resolved quickly. In Meta Seoul, none of these issues will go unchecked.
South Korea has always been active in its endeavour to innovate in the world of Web3. The government of Seoul became the first public body in the world to announce such a hugely ambitious project. The Mayor stated that the project aims to build “a city of coexistence, a global leader, a safe city, and a future emotional city.”
Other cities experimenting with the metaverse
Several other cities are taping the metaverse to provide improved services to their citizens. For instance, in October last year, Sharjah also launched its metaverse city. Dubbed the Sharjahverse, the project is a virtual twin of the emirate’s 1,000 square-mile surface area. The platform will allow tourists to visit the city’s landmark attractions and also create jobs for locals.
“Virtual tourism in Sharjahverse will provide unprecedented access to almost any location, personalised guest experiences and enhanced entertainment. Multiverse’s ground-breaking and AI-driven approach will help push the limits of imagination and promote Sharjah as a destination of excellence,” said the Chairman of the Sharjah Commerce and Tourist Development Authority (SCTDA), Khalid Jasim Al Midfa.
Dubai is also planning a similar venture. The city has tied up with a leading metaverse platform, The Sandbox, to create a Dubai-themed metaverse, called the “Dubaiverse.” The platform has brought on board local firms in the film, music, entertainment, acting, finance, real estate, and gaming industries. These firms and services will be replicated in the Dubaiverse to provide unique virtual experiences.
The Sandbox is also working on a similar project for the city of Hong Kong, it is called the ‘Mega City’. The metaverse giant also announced that “other planned location-based metaverses are in the works for Singapore, Korea, and Turkey.” Speaking of Singapore, the city-state already has a virtual twin city that was launched in 2014. However, it is not open to virtual visitors. It was developed to test the effects of adverse weather conditions on a virtual model of the city.
Conclusion
Meta Seoul is the first city in the world that created an entire virtual city. As the project develops, we will get more insights into the new features and services it offers. It will also serve as an example that other cities in the world can follow while establishing their own metaverse cities. And the development of these government-backed virtual worlds could be a crucial step towards greater adoption of Web3 and digital assets.
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