(SM Entertainment)

‘Surround Viewing’ technology, comprising live concerts and ICT (Information and Communications Technology), is garnering attention as a new viable business model for K-pop distributors, after it was introduced in Chile by SM Entertainment on Wednesday.

On April 22, a live feed of Super Junior D&E’s 2015 Japan tour “Present” was shown at Espacio Riesco Pabellon 4 in Santiago, Chile, using cutting-edge three-screen technology that envelop the audiences’ seats.

The advanced technology allows viewers anywhere in the world to watch a concert as it takes place on the other side of the globe.

For South American fans who had had difficulty accessing live K-pop concerts due to geographical distance, Surround Viewing will give them the next best thing.

Chilean fans waiting in line for the Surround Viewing screening (SM Entertainment)

Head of the South Korean Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning, Minister Choi Yang-hee; CEO of Educational Broadcasting System, Shin Yong-sup; and SM Entertainment chief Kim Young-min were present in Chile for the live screening of “Present.”

Surround Viewing and hologram concert technologies are part of the ICT memorandum of understanding agreed between South Korea and Chile.

In the future, the three-screen viewing experience is anticipated to expand to further countries in Southeast Asia and South America.


By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)