Ifland has become one of the top metaverse platforms in South Korea since its launch in July 2021, surpassing 12.8 million users as of the third quarter of 2022. It has showcased performances of many indie bands and musicians, using volumetric capture technology that uses many cameras to capture an entire scene in 360 degrees. Users can enjoy surreal content through the special image-capturing technique. Based on the popularity of K-pop and Hallyu (Korean cultural wave), SK Telecom (SKT) launched the global version of Ifland, which supports English, Chinese and Japanese.
SKT will work with Singtel to localize Ifland such as creating avatars that reflect Singaporean and other cultures in the Asia Pacific region. "We will work closely with Singtel to create success stories for our metaverse service in the global markets," SKT's chief development officer Ha Min-yong said in a statement on November 29.
"This partnership will help showcase the Singtel network's ultra-low latency, high speed and stable connectivity which is critical to creating an optimal immersive experience in the metaverse," said Singtel's CEO Anna Yip.
In October 2022, SKT also signed an agreement with e&, a telecom operator based in the United Arab Emirates, to create metaverse services tailored to customer demands in the Middle East. Famous buildings and digital costumes reflecting Middle Eastern culture will be actualized in the virtual world.