The City of Seoul believes the metaverse can be harnessed for public good. Its Metaverse Seoul, the first platform of its kind developed by a city, launched this year in beta to more than 3,000 residents who can use avatars to explore a virtual Seoul City Hall and play games in Seoul Plaza. Younger visitors can use the platform for career counseling and mentoring. The city government’s five-year vision is to build out a full-service virtual world—in which people can do things like obtain licenses and lodge service complaints—that lowers barriers to communication with residents and visitors. As a high-tech city, “we [want] to pre-emptively use this untapped space,” says Metaverse Seoul’s Hosun Chae. The platform is slated to open to all residents by the end of the year.
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Melinda French Gates Is Going It Alone
- What to Do if You Can’t Afford Your Medications
- How to Buy Groceries Without Breaking the Bank
- Sienna Miller Is the Reason to Watch Horizon
- Why So Many Bitcoin Mining Companies Are Pivoting to AI
- The 15 Best Movies to Watch on a Plane
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time