Naver Z, the South Korean IT firm’s unit that operates the Zepeto metaverse platform, has partnered with Thailand’s top telecommunications services provider to develop the virtual world’s ecosystem Thailand, according to a statement released Thursday.
True’s chief strategic content and public relations officer, Birathon Kasemsri, stated that True aims to lead Thailand into the realm of the metaverse with this cooperation. True Group’s extensive digital ecosystem and Naver Z’s metaverse capabilities will drive the collaboration to promote Thailand’s soft power in metaverse content creation.
True will use Zepeto as a platform to deliver futuristic on- and offline experiences tailored to Thai customers’ lives. Thailand, in particular, has a large number of metaverse content creators. Zepeto, with over 500,000 content producers on the metaverse platform, is popular among teenagers and young adults, or “Gen Z” in common vernacular.
The ZEPETO app is a mobile chat app from South Korea in which users create and communicate as 3D avatars in various worlds. Some of these worlds are game-based, while others are chat-based, and users may choose whether they want these worlds to be public or just for their friends.
Users that join worlds are requested to participate with audio and can converse through a microphone or text. Users may snap selfies and images with other avatars in these realms, and they can tag people whether they know them or not.
According to Naver Z, Zepeto’s monthly active users topped 20 million in August. Zepeto Studio users have developed over 7 million items and sold over 175 million times for the artists’ financial advantage.
Through broad collaboration with True Group, which has significant clout in Thailand, Naver will speed the expansion of Zepeto in Thailand and identify creative innovators capable of conjuring up fantastic worlds.
Moreover, Bvlgari, an Italian luxury jewelry and accessories business, recently launched a unique virtual world on Zepeto. It comprises a pop-up store, Bulgari Sunset In Jeju, and offers guests both online and physical experiences.
According to Naver, Zepeto has evolved into a platform for K-pop lovers to consume K-pop material in the virtual world. On August 31, Lisa – a member of the worldwide K-pop girl group Blackpink and Zepeto’s global ambassador, organized an event in Bvlgari’s world on Zepeto to snap photos with her fans’ avatars.
