News

2022.11.16

The Korea National University of Arts (President Daejin Kim, hereinafter referred to as K'Arts) and the Korea Foundation (KF, President Kihwan Kim) plan to activate mutual cooperation in the discovery, utilization, and overseas introduction of immersive digital cultural content.

As the first example of their joint collaboration, during the 5th Public Diplomacy Week (November 18-20, at DDP), they will premiere in Korea the new VR work 'SAMUL' created by the AT Lab of K'Arts (Director Sngmoo Lee), and 'Scarecrow AP', an upgraded version of the interdisciplinary metaverse performance 'Scarecrow' for general audience participation.

Visitors participating in this event will have the opportunity to experience these critically acclaimed works, which have received high praise at prestigious international film festivals, offering a taste of immersive cutting-edge content that intersects tradition, modernity, reality, and the virtual world.

'Scarecrow AP (Scarecrow Audience Participation)' is an immersive XR content based on the metaverse, inspired by 'scarecrows' that can be found anywhere in the world. It has been awarded and invited to international events such as the Sundance Film Festival in the USA and the Raindance Film Festival in the UK. It has been highly praised by international media like Forbes as 'one of the most vivid digital experiences among all digital content.' A version adapted for audience participation is being premiered for the first time for this Public Diplomacy Week.

Additionally, the new VR work 'Samul' by K'Arts AT Lab, which is being shown for the first time in Korea, is an immersive piece reconstructed in VR using volumetric techniques based on a performance by the unparalleled artist Duksoo Kim. It premiered at the Raindance Film Festival in the UK on October 26 and has received critical acclaim.

As part of the Korea Foundation's immersive digital showcase 'Every Wall Is a Door', K'Arts AT Lab's XR 'Scarecrow AP' and VR 'Samul' will be introduced and available for free participation by all visitors during the Public Diplomacy Week held at Dongdaemun DDP (Art Hall 1, Conference Hall) from November 18 (Friday) to 20 (Sunday). Detailed information about the exhibition can be found at www.pdweek.or.kr.

Meanwhile, on November 18 (Friday), coinciding with the opening of the 5th Public Diplomacy Week, a comprehensive exhibition on public diplomacy hosted by the Korea Foundation, both institutions are scheduled to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for comprehensive cooperation.

The Art & Technology Lab (AT Lab) of the Korea National University of Arts aims to integrate science and technology with culture and arts, industry, and education. It is a creation and production research institute that conducts creation and research in the fields of immersive media, advanced medical and AI content through collaborations with leading domestic and international companies, universities, and research institutes. In 2020, with support from the Korea Creative Content Agency, it produced interdisciplinary immersive media performances such as 'Scarecrow', the network virtual reality work 'Nine VR', and the virtual reality poem 'Rain Fruits' utilizing 3D space scanning. These works were invited to major international film festivals including Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest (SXSW), Tribeca Film Festival, Cannes XR, Amsterdam's VRHAM (Virtual Reality & Arts Festival), and the Kaohsiung Film Festival in Taiwan. They have also led the global trend in immersive media creation and research by signing an international distribution contract with the global content distributor Iconic Engine.