“In an era where AI is replacing everything, paradoxically, the most powerful businesses come from ‘real-world experiences that can only be had in human relationships.’”
Song In-hyeok, CEO of Unique Good Company, isn't simply a game designer. He's an "experience designer" who ponders how to enrich the remaining "time" as technology reduces human labor. Through "Real World," a platform that infuses real-world spaces with digital narratives, he's transforming Korea into a vast theme park, from the narrow alleys of Seongsu-dong to the abandoned old government building in Gyeonggi Province.
Real World is a new concept theme park in the heart of the city, devoid of rides. It's a multi-purpose cultural space offering a variety of experiences, including "Rooms," an open-air escape room; "Clue," a mystery board game inspired by the variety show "Crime Sun," and an arcade featuring the brain-collaboration game "Boom Boom Planet." CEO Song In-hyeok defines Real World as "an 'experience infrastructure' that goes beyond a simple content service and transforms the grammar of cities, education, and tourism."
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As he emphasizes in his book "Unreplaceable: The Age of Experience is Coming," he sees the proliferation of AI as a catalyst for industrial transformation. A prime example is the introduction of ATMs, which, rather than eliminating bank tellers, shifted their work to "experience design"—customer service. He predicts that AI will also free humans from simple tasks, allowing them to focus on "connecting existence and emotion."
"It's clear why digital natives seek out offline experiences. As online connections with similar groups grow stronger, they need a 'trigger' to act together. Seongsu-dong has become a mecca for pop-up stores because the direct experience in person is overwhelming in terms of memory and conversion."
He explained the difference between Real World's offline strategies and those of global OTTs (Disney, Netflix) through "play." While large corporations build "viewing worlds," Real World creates "doing worlds," where players become the protagonists, making inferences and choices. In the startup industry, experience businesses often face limitations in scalability. However, Real World has broken this formula through technology. The metrics he revealed are astonishing.
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"Real World spaces aren't physical sets. Through digital overlays, themes can be infinitely changed with a simple software update. Corporate training and school groups flock here on weekdays, while the MZ generation flocks here on weekends, creating a highly profitable structure with virtually no vacancy."
Building on this revenue model, he has secured over 100 locations nationwide and is expanding the platform's reach by reducing creation time from days to minutes through his "Real-World AI Studio." This collaborative structure allows AI to suggest proven content prototypes, and human creators add context.
Real World's efforts are also aligned with social values. CEO Song In-hyeok approaches the issue of regional extinction from the perspective of "decline in interaction." A prime example is the "Real Treasure Festival," which set a Guinness World Record this year by attracting 6,250 attendees to the former Gyeonggi Provincial Government building, which had been abandoned for over five years.
"Solving population decline solely through birth strategies would require enormous energy. However, maximizing spatial interaction can revive dead commercial districts and revitalize local communities. The same goes for education. Shouldn't schools be places for 'social and emotional learning (SEL),' where students learn communication and conflict resolution through the real world, leaving the guessing to AI?"
Having already demonstrated his ability to reach all generations, from the kids' market to adults, through collaborations with powerful fandom IPs such as various movies, entertainment, and teeny-fing, he is now aiming to enter the global market by utilizing K-IPs, much like the British listed company XP Factory.
My ongoing concern with "message delivery," which began as a TEDx curator, has now evolved into "distribution of experiences." Where will Real World, aiming for an IPO within five years, ultimately end?
"Our goal is to transform the entire city into a theme park without building a single building. We will create a world where Real World is the first thing that comes to mind when people ask, 'What are we doing today?' on a weekend morning. The growth of Real World will be a process of restoring the connection between local communities, education, and everyday life."
In an era where experience has become an industry and technology amplifies emotions, the "phygital" territory envisioned by CEO Song In-hyeok represents our very daily lives.
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