On the occasion of the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) taking place this month in Gangwon, South Korea, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has unveiled the Metaverse world.

• The IOC is introducing interactive experiences such as virtual tours and mini-games in the Metaverse World to engage spectators during the upcoming Games in Gangwon 2024.
• Users will have access to live events, competitive mini-games and personalised avatars expressing emotions and dances inspired by the Youth Olympic Games.
• The IOC, in cooperation with the Korean government and local organisers, wants to make the Games as accessible as possible for young fans.
• Korea is investing in the development of the Metaverse, making it a pioneer in this area. Seoul, which will be designated a Metaverse city in 2021, is just one example of the growing popularity of this technology.
• Korea is developing a Metaverse ecosystem that allows residents to play games, submit complaints and use virtual reality services, putting it at the forefront of global Metaverse development.

According to the IOC, the experience utilises Gangwon-do province’s existing Metaverse to provide viewers with a variety of immersive and interactive experiences, such as virtual tours of facilities and games.

In addition, viewers can participate online in mini competitions such as bobsleighing, curling and ski jumping. Users in Korea can watch the events live online and on mobile devices.

A few weeks ago, Fifa, the organisation that oversees world football, added some of its matches to the Metaverse.

Dancing avatars at the Olympic Games

The Winter Youth Olympic Games will take place from 19 January to 1 February in Gangwon. Up to 2,000 athletes from more than 80 countries are expected to take part in this international sporting event. The athletes are aged between fifteen and eighteen.

The IOC hopes that its Metaverse will help to make the 2024 Games in Gangwon as inclusive and accessible as possible, especially for young fans. The IOC has partnered with the Korean government and local Olympic organisers for the event.

The non-profit organisation said in a statement that Metaverse will also provide the opportunity to meet and interact with other fans from around the world and inspire visitors to try new winter sports and learn about Olympic values.

Six languages (Korean, English, Spanish, French, Japanese and Chinese) are supported in Metaverse Gangwon 2024, where users can design their own avatars.

Users can customise their avatars by choosing from thirty different characters and options for outfit, body type and hairstyle. According to the IOC, the avatars can express different emotions such as happiness, love, sadness, surprise and anger. The Olympic Committee also explained that the characters can perform hip-hop dances and dances related to the Youth Olympic Games, for people who are passionate about dancing in the virtual world.

After creating your own avatar, you can navigate through the three-dimensional virtual environment and explore digital recreations of nine different locations from the Games, including four tourist attractions, fantasy elements and Youth Olympic Villages.

At the eco-friendly Gangneung Green City Experience Centre in the city, visitors and local Koreans can fully immerse themselves in the event using simulators, screens and virtual reality headsets.

Progress in Korea’s metaverse

South Korea is well on its way to taking a leading role in the Metaverse. Its capital Seoul has been named Metaverse City 2021. – this is a metropolis located in a virtual environment or digital space.

South Korea has invested 180 million dollars in building the Metaverse ecosystem by 2022. The city’s Metaverse app is now available for download and allows Seoul residents to perform tasks such as playing games, filing complaints and seeking tax advice. The idea is also gaining popularity in Asian provinces such as Gangwon.

The Korean capital is one of the few Metaverse cities in the world, alongside Santa Monica in California and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The World Economic Forum explains that cities can use the virtual Metaverse platform to test new infrastructure concepts, improve traffic flow and streamline operations. It adds that Metaverse offers a participatory and engaging approach to communication with city authorities and involvement in decision-making, which can ultimately lead to significant savings.

According to a recent analysis by research firm ABI Research, there will be Metaverse infrastructures in more than 700 locations around the world by 2030.