Seoul Invites MICE Attendees to a Metaverse for Simulating Teambuilding Games

The Seoul Convention Bureau has launched a virtual teambuilding program, the Virtual Seoul Playground in the line of transforming the attractions of Seoul’s MICE industry into digital means following the Virtual Seoul platform and the Seoul MICE World which, a meeting-hosting platform and a promotional booth.

Maximizing the well-known elements of traditional Korean culture in a metaverse environment is the biggest strength, along with appropriate degree of challenging to engage the audience into gamification. After downloading the program, participants can choose avatars with various hanbok and choose between three games to experience cooperative play stimulating team spirit by working towards the same goal. Event planners could simply upload a link on their event page or organize more engaging event such as posting the screenshot on SNS channels or even a tournament within some participants.

Participants can make gimbap at Changdeokgung Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site existing in the heart of Seoul, starting with a yunnori- traditional Korean game in which players throw four sticks and move markers on a mat accordingly- in the square in front of Seoul City Hall, one of Seoul's most representative attractions. In addition, at the Some Sevit on the Hangang River, participants can learn more about Seoul with a quiz and decorate a lantern to float it down the river with wish written on it.

The Virtual Seoul Playground is to be a gateway to invite different online attendees to Seoul while the restriction of travelling be part of the industry. When the on-site MICE events resumed, the authentic hybrid teambuilding would be possibly taking place playing a virtual teambuilding program in conjunction to face-to-face ones. Transforming Seoul MICE industry virtually is to lead the industry to new normal ear and will stay to enrich afterwards. Jihyun Kim, director of Seoul Convention Bureau said, “As virtual MICE events increase drastically, the importance of gamification that induces participants' immersion along with metaverses that allows interaction through avatars in a virtual world is on the rise. We have developed a non-face-to-face teambuilding program that can be used as content for gamification in the industry while providing an experience similar to the actual experience by building a metaverse in the background of Seoul.”