Jan 16-29. Seoul launches Phase 1 of Metaverse, CNY "risky" Metaverse moves from Tmall and the Sandbox, Hersheyverse and more...

This week's highlight: Metaverse Seoul

🇰🇷 ✅ In an effort to improve public services, South Korea has launched ‘Metaverse Seoul’ which claims to be the first city-backed public metaverse platform in the world. Aiming to be completed in 2026 they have already launched phase 1, where users will have the ability to explore the city replica and receive services such as counselling, youth mentorship and consulting services for struggling businesses. Phase 2, expected in 2024 will be expanding their services and offering real estate counselling and connecting foreign investors with local industries. The third stage of their project will offer an integration of virtual and augmented technology in managing Seoul’s city infrastructure.

The city government has already invested 1.6 million in building the first phase of Metaverse Seoul and is planning to spend 2.2 million this year on the project’s second phase.

https://forkast.news/headlines/south-korea-metaverse-capital-city-seoul/

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nickvinckier_metaverse-web3-cryptocurrency-activity-7020997667996508160-_5dG/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

📣 🇨🇳 Brands Celebrating the Lunar New Year in the Metaverse

DFS, A luxury retailer is celebrating the Year of the Rabbity by launching a Lunar New Year campaign in ‘DFS World’ - During the holiday season, visitors to DFS World will experience an interactive virtual world where they are greeted by ‘Fortune Rabbits’ that promise to bring good luck and prosperity, users will have the opportunity to join a scavenger hunt where they have the chance to win a complimentary ‘Fortune Rabbit NFT’.

Sandbox has launched a Lunar New Year event that allows its users to engage with well-known PC characters and enjoy an immersive gaming adventure. Open to all visitors and free of charge, players had an opportunity to win prizes from an extensive pool of rewards, which included; 200,000 $SAND, NFT prizes and virtual ‘Chinese Dragon’ mystery boxes which included limited PFPs.

Taobao a popular e-tailer has unveiled a metaverse marketplace in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Consumers have the ability to place orders in an online channel through large advertisement screens and can additionally try-on items using a 360-degree product browsing option.

Tmall launched a special "risky?" digital exhibition within its own dedicated metaverse space "Heyspace" in partnership with Playboy and brands. To celebrate the New Year their exhibition draws inspiration from the American Playboy label, as well as including special presentations from Disney and Coca-Cola. The showcase also features a carefully selected collection of experiences from more than 20 brands across all industry sectors including F&B and clothing.

https://jingdaily.com/brands-chinaverse-lunar-new-year/

https://daoinsights.com/news/tmall-rolls-out-metaverse-exhibition-infused-with-playboy-spirit/Seoul’s Major Retailer LF Offer NFT-based Luxury Goods Authentication Service

Hershey Philippines Creates Immersive Brand Experience For Consumers ‘Hersheyverse’

🇵🇭 🍫 Hershey Philippines, part of The Hershey Company, launched the ‘Hersheyverse’ for Christmas in 2022 which offered players a chance to earn exclusive rewards and discounts by completing quests with the help of NPCs, users have the opportunity to explore a virtual environment, learn about holiday traditions, shop in virtual stores with shopkeepers who represent different markets in the Philippines.

https://www.adobomagazine.com/press-release/hershey-philippines-creates-an-immersive-brand-experience-for-its-consumers-as-it-forays-into-metaverse-with-hersheyverse/

💰 🇯🇵 Brave Group has raised JP¥300mil from Animoca Brands Japan

Brave group a company running various businesses within the metaverse such as ‘RIOT MUSIC’ and ‘Vspo’ as well as ‘Brave Engine’ has raised JP¥300 million from Animoca Brands Japan, accumulating a total of JP¥3.04 billion in anticipation of business expansion and acceleration of global development in the metaverse industry. In 2021 Brave group initiated a collaboration with ‘My Anime List’ operating the largest anime community and ‘Billboard media Indonesia’ In May 2022 strengthening their partner alliance for global expansion.

https://www.animocabrands.com/brave-group-has-raised-jpd300-million-from-animoca-brands-japan

Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency Successfully Completes the 2022 ASEAN-ROK XR Training Program

In an effort to utilise Metaverse and XR technology to keep world heritage sights alive, Busan IT Industry Promotion Agency, International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia Pacific Region under UNESCO co-hosted a training program ‘ASEAN-ROK XR.’ The program consisted of XR/Metaverse theory training an Introduction of case studies of Korea’s XR/Metaverse tourism, cultural heritage and technology industry convergence as well as writing joint project proposals in a team team with the help of expert mentoring. The trainees of the program included 19 members from four ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam) as well as Nepal from ICT, culture and tourism-related organisations, and local governments.

https://en.antaranews.com/news/269796/busan-it-industry-promotion-agency-successfully-completes-the-2022-asean-rok-xr-training-program

FLASHBACK to 2022 Activations in China and Asia Metaverse

For those newly following the space in Asia, here are also a few references of articles to learn about Asia based entrants in Web3.

Chinese E-commerce Platform ‘Tmall’ Supports Luxury Brands Through Art Exhibition ‘Double 11’

🇨🇳 🛍 A Chinese e-commerce platform created its first ‘Double 11 Metaverse At Exhibition offering a new shopping experience on its Tmall/Taoboa mobile app. In collaboration with some luxury brands like Burberry and Coach, the exhibition provided users with 8 limited NFTs only available during Double 11.

These brands were able to leverage the platform and technology to provide a more intimate experience for its customers. Burberry offered 1,000 units of their NFT Deer with a limited edition scarf and were sold out with each retailing for $454.

https://metav.rs/blog/luxury-metaverse-activations-asia/

Sandbox Announces Multiple Hong Kong Partnerships, to Create Mega City in the Metaverse

🇭🇰 🏠 Sandbox the decentralised gaming virtual world and subsidiary of Animoca Brands announced a number of Hong Kong partners from the film, music, entertainment, acting, professional services, finance, real estate, and gaming sectors that will be entering the platform to create ‘Mega City’ a new central hub.

Partners who aquired LAND in an effort to build the Mega City include Hong Kong tycoon Adrian Cheng, investing leader Sun Hung Kai & Co, professional services firm PwC Hong Kong, blockchain-related investment and asset management company TIMES CAPITAL, director, producer and actor Stephen Fung, international star Shu Qi, renowned musician Dough-Boy, game IP Little Fighter, and local illustrator Dreamergo.

https://www.animocabrands.com/the-sandbox-announces-multiple-hong-kong-partnerships-to-create-mega-city-in-the-metaverse

Flipkat Launches Metaverse Shopping Experience

🇮🇳 🛒 India’s e-commerce giant Flipkart, launched a metaverse shopping experience for consumers where they can further interact, discover and shop for new products. Through a collaboration with eDAO a polygon incubated firm, the development of ‘Flipverse’ allows it’s customers to have a more immersive and fun experience where they can collect the company’s loyalty points, supercoins as well as digital collectables from partnered brands as they make purchases. Some of these brands include but are not limited to Puma, Noise, Nivea, Lavie, Tokyo Talkies, Campus, VIP, Ajmal Perfumes and Himalaya.

https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/17/indian-e-commerce-giant-flipkart-launches-metaverse-shopping-experience/

Chinese Companies That Have Entered The Metaverse

🇨🇳 🏢 Baidu was the first company to launch a metaverse app in Dec 2021 for the Chinese Market. Used as a proof-of-concept ‘Land of Hope’ (In Chinese:希壤 xīrǎng) signalled the entry of China into the global metaverse rivalry. The app debuted in January 2022 with the capacity to host 100,000 participants at once, users has the ability to create avatars, and engage in a virtual environment that combines Chinese history and futuristic designs.

Tencent, the Chinese world-leading technology company behind WeChat has made several moves to make its social offerings virtual. An example of this is their launch of Super QQ Show, which introduced a 3D interactive space where users can interact and play games with one another

ByteDance the subsidiary of TikTok has designed two metaverse apps, ‘Party Island’ (in Chinese: 派对岛 pàiduì dǎo) for the Chinese market and Pixsoul for SEA. Both programmes allow for users to create virtual avatars, which can be used to communication with their friends. The vision for this project is to represent an alternative to the metaverse and is only available through a unique invitation code.

https://focus.cbbc.org/which-chinese-companies-have-entered-the-metaverse/

Let's go Asia Web3!!!

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