Gyeongju, a city better known for its well-preserved historic treasures, is taking on a rather unlikely venture by spearheading the central government’s scheme to develop the country’s immersive media industry.

With support from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, as well as North Gyeongsang Province, the coastal city is working to take the lead in the realistic media industry such as by recently launching the Gyeongju Smart Media Center. 

The organization will be in charge of setting up the foundation to foster future media services, said Gyeongju City Mayor Choi Yang-sik, who has been named GSME’s board chairman.

This will include organizing exchanges and meetings among industry players, academia, research institutes and the government to coordinate policies with business trends and technology.

Immersive media, or “realistic media,” refers to next-generation media that provides exceptionally improved expression, clarity and a sense of reality that can be applied in broadcasting, movies and games, as well as graphics, display and other industries,  Choi explained.

The smart media center will include 15 experts and two public officials who will cooperate to work on ways to create jobs in the field and attract investments to help the local economy, he added.

Immersive media usually involves 3-D, ultrahigh definition technology and holograms. It is differentiated from other media in that it provides “immersion” and “presence” by integrating the way human eyes recognize visuals and experiences.

Choi underscored the importance of the “human factor” in immersive media.

“When people watch a 3-D video wearing 3-D glasses, many of them complain of their eyes getting tired or feeling nauseated. They therefore start to avoid such stereoscopic images, which lead to limited creation of contents and a stagnant industry,” Choi said.

“In order to solve this, we must take human characteristics in consideration. This is why more research on the safety and effectiveness of immersive media services is all the more important.”

As part of such efforts, Choi said it is crucial for the government to continue supporting education programs to foster experts in the field. There is also a need for wider research and development investment for software in the production, editing and distribution stages.

By Eun yoon-soo (yseun@heraldcorp.com)