Seoul concert hall uses holograms over the real thing
A new concert hall dedicated to Korean pop music recently opened in Seoul. What makes the concert hall unique, however, is that you won't see artists performing in person. Rather, performances using hologram technology take center stage at this new venue.
This is South Korean Pop phenom Psy doing his famous horse-riding dance - well, sort of. It's actually a very convincing hologram of the superstar on display at this newly unveiled concert hall dedicated solely to K-Pop.
Lasers are used to beam three-dimensional images onto a 270-degree stage, along with state-of-the-art surround sound and special effects.
"We've combined and applied various holographic technologies, such as 20,000 pixel beam projectors to make the artists look real and to immerse the audience into the performance," said Kim Jong-hyeok, senior manager of KT Corporation.
Upon entering the concert hall, visitors are greeted by virtual members of the boy band Big Bang. Guests can also pose and take pictures with girl group 2NE1.
This $9 million venue is a joint project combining government and private funds' convergence of South Korea's technological prowess and a multi-billion dollar cultural industry often referred to as the "Korean Wave".
It's no coincidence the hall is built in a bustling part of the city with a high volume of tourists. Fans from around the world can come and watch their favourite stars in a virtual performance eight times a day.
Kim says they plan on expanding these concert halls to other parts of South Korea, as well as export to overseas markets, such as China, Japan, and Los Angeles.
But as with most new technologies, developing up-to-date content will be crucial to sustain a steady flow of visitors.
Regardless, if you don't have the time to catch up Psy's latest act in person, maybe a hologram will do the job.
