Culture Minister Hwang Hee discussed future policies on arts and culture in communication with the nation’s young artists through the metaverse on Thursday, the ministry announced the following day.

The event in the metaverse was organized to celebrate and evaluate the results of the ministry-led campaign, “The Youth Made Changes - Culture Ministry,” which had been in operation since May.

Hwang accessed the metaverse space provided and supported by ifland, a social communication service platform from SK Telecom, South Korea’s largest wireless carrier, using his avatar named “JazzyWolf.”

Participants at the event consisted of young artists and student journalists who worked for the spokesman’s office’s web blog from 2014 to 2019.

Throughout the four months of the campaign, youth participants have planned out and pitched some 24 cultural policies related to their own generation.

After a series of evaluations, two projects were finalized to undergo actual implementation: “Youth Mic in Metaland” and “My Own Art Table.” 

At Thursday‘s event, the first session showcased was “Youth Mic in Metaland,” holding a special virtual reality concert. Artists from various local communities joined the project to expand their offline recorded performances to the digital universe.

The second session continued with a presentation of individual artists’ “My Own Art Table.” Young artists took the initiative to create their own “tables of art dishes,” which were then sent out as gifts with self-written notes of encouragement to the public.

The project was designed with aims for artists to give voice to their art and messages to the public, and for the public to receive a special experience and be comforted by such intimate art pieces.

A live discussion with the minister was held in the final session of the event. Young artists and participants shared their experiences after finishing the four-month project, followed by questions and comments on the ministry’s policies to the minister.

Hwang addressed the event’s closing remarks with lessons learned from the metaverse space, adding the importance of driving forward policies created “by the youth,” and to provide a self-governing administration environment made “for the youth.”

The Culture Minister also emphasized the role of government, to “have all eyes and ears on suggestions and voices from the youth” for a sound and affirmative administration to be carried out.

By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)