• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.110-118
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• 2024

This study was conducted to analyze the metaverse usage behavior of college students through in-depth interviews and to explore the characteristics of the major metaverse platforms with a focus on keywords. This study derived elements such as metaverse participation activities, real-world order, metaverse system, presence, and self-expression from previous research. This study examined how college students who use the metaverse perceive these variables. We present the following research results: First, the college students who participated in the study showed interest in content with many interactive elements on the metaverse platform and appeared to participate more actively in such content. Second, college students cited the ability to engage in economic activities in the metaverse as their greatest strength. It was expected that social norms applied in the real world would also be applied in the metaverse. Third, the Metaverse system, such as the Metaverse UI, UX, and servers, was found to be a factor that needs to meet users' expectations and hinders immersion. In this study, the characteristics of the metaverse platform were analyzed, focusing on essential keywords from in-depth interviews. The analysis results are as follows: It was expressed with keywords such as Zepeto has 'avatar' and 'personality expression,' Ifland has 'free decoration' and 'communication convenience,' Gathertown has 'movement convenience' and 'video chat.' Roblox has 'game-based' and 'dynamic.'

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.13-24
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• 2024

The capabilities of the metaverse have been demonstrated by representative examples such as Roblox, Fortnite, and Zepeto, and it can enable gaming, social networking services, and other applications. Nevertheless, research on the metaverse has been fragmented owing to conflicting definitions, core values, and characteristics. This ambiguity in metaverse conventions has hindered related research, analysis, and policy establishment. As the confusion seems to aggravate, consistent concepts should be established. Although the coronavirus disease pandemic led to a collapse in metaverse usage, it is regaining public interest since 2022. To promote the metaverse development, we structure core values based on existing research and surveys of consumer expectations. We found that consumers perceive the metaverse as a realistic virtual space and a potential economic opportunity. Hence, it seems necessary to track the extent to which the metaverse core values satisfy consumer demands. Such core values should be consistently reflected in policies and technology development.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.63-85
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• 2023

This study aims to identify the primary user group in the growing metaverse space based on the increased interest during the COVID-19 era. It also aims to explore the predictive factors for metaverse adoption. To predict online activities, the study examined user purposes, motivations, and relevant demographic factors as predictive variables through model analysis. The data from the Korean Media Panel Survey were used, and a two-stage analysis with the Heckman two-stage sample selection model was conducted to predict metaverse users. The analysis revealed that the key factors influencing metaverse adoption were offline activities, openness, OTT usage, and purchasing of paid content. Moreover, in the second stage model, openness, gender, and paid content purchases were identified as significant variables for increasing metaverse usage time. These results indicate that understanding metaverse users is essential in the context of the rising interest in online activities during the COVID-19 era and can provide valuable insights for metaverse platform-related companies and developers.

• Journal of Korea Society of Digital Industry and Information Management
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.75-89
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• 2024

The demand for metaverse is increasing rapidly due to the development of 3D information technology and the pandemic situation caused by COVID-19. Small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs) are also in increasing demand for metaverse in the community, meetings, and customer services of their employees. Based on the UTAUT model, this study investigated the acceptance of the Metaverse-type information system(IS) by employees of SMEs. Using the responses from 170 SMEs employees, we conducted the regression analyses SMEs employees' usage intention on Metaverse-type IS. The results of the research analyses were as follows. First, among the variables of the UTAUT model, performance expectations, social influence, and promotion conditions had a significant effect on the intention to use. Second, among the variables derived from the industrial specificity of Metaverse-type IS, only individual innovation had a significant influence on the intention to use. Last but not least, in the relationship between the intention to use Metaverse-type IS and the influencing factors, only individual innovation was significant in the moderating effect according to past metaverse use experience.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.215-221
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• 2023

Advancements in digital technology have led to increased usage of digital devices among teenagers. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and the subsequent implementation of social distancing policies have further accelerated this change. Consequently, a new concept called the metaverse has emerged. The metaverse is a combination of a virtual reality universe that allows individuals to meet, socialize, work, play, entertain, and create. This review provides an overview of the concept and main features of the metaverse and examples of its utilization in the real world. It also explains the unique developmental characteristics of childhood and adolescence, as well as the possible negative influences of the metaverse on them, including addiction, antisocial behavior, cyberbullying, and identity confusion. This review summarizes several suggestions for future research because the metaverse is a relatively new concept.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1483-1498
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• 2022

While public interests in the metaverse are growing recently in the Korean media and research, its understanding has not been fully established yet. In this study, we aimed to probe whether the rapid growth in media attention about the metaverse has increased its usage as a buzzword accompanied by an absence of scientific context. We analyzed publications and online news containing "metaverse" from 2020 to 2022. The data analysis methods are 1) time series frequency, 2) keyword network, 3) natural language model. The findings indicate the perception gap about metaverse between research and news articles broadened as its popularity has grown. Research about metaverse gradually expanded its connections with related topics-virtual and augmented realities-focusing on social changes in a remote environment. However, media reporting frequently used "metaverse" as a buzzword rather than explaining its scientific background, stimulating the proliferation of related topics and the dispersion of news content. This study further discusses the need for a media strategy to improve public conception of the long-term development of the metaverse.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2023

Interest in the metaverse is increasing as learners participate in learning with presence, improving learning motivation, and interaction. Currently, the use of metaverse in medical education remains in a test-phase of introduction within some companies, while some medical school professors are beginning to utilize it. Therefore, it is difficult to ascertain whether the metaverse has educational potential when used in medical education. This exploratory study investigates the possibility of the educational use of the metaverse. Both the educational usefulness and the examples of its educational usage in domestic and foreign medical schools are explored. As the metaverse is expected to be introduced and utilized more actively in the future, some of its advantages and limitations in medical education have been identified. In light of the vast potential of the metaverse in medical education, the method of educating and preparing medical students should be developed by preparing a new educational foundation.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1675-1691
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• 2024

The metaverse is an emerging interactive domain that enables people to participate in an array of activities utilizing cutting-edge technologies. Generation Z perceives no substantial distinction between their virtual and actual identities, regarding the virtual world as an extension of reality. As an attempt to apply Bourdieu's theory of cultural taste and cultural capital to the area of the metaverse avatar, investigates the impact of users' cultural tastes on the avatars they create and experience in the metaverse. The research employed both focus group interviews and individual in-depth interviews with users of Generation Z. The study demonstrated that Generation Z users exhibit unrestricted engagement in the metaverse, although their behavior is significantly affected by their economic situation. One's cultural tastes, influenced by diverse interactions with their parents, greatly impact how they engage in cultural activities in the metaverse. Three categories were identified from the perception of avatars: Idealized Self-Representation Avatars, Atypical Self-Representation Avatars, and Integrated Self-Representation Avatars. Perceiving avatars as an extension of the self was associated with higher cultural capital. Participants held divergent perspectives on the metaverse, with certain individuals regarding it as a realm of imagination or a limitless arena for activities.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.1-22
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• 2024

This study aims to empirically analyze the usage behavior of metaverses, which have recently attracted attention in various fields. To date, research on metaverses has focused on the concept, direction of utilization, development prospects, and technical aspects. However, there is a lack of research on the characteristics of metaverses and the behavior of users. As the metaverse develops with new content, there is a need to understand user behavior and content characteristics. In this study, we surveyed 375 adult males and females who experienced metaverse, and analyzed the impact of metaverse usage behavior on brand loyalty and item purchase intention based on 350 samples after excluding non-responses. The collected data were cleaned and statistically analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and SmartPLS 4.0. The results showed that the usage behavior factors such as immersion, vicarious satisfaction, and avatar identification have a positive effect on brand loyalty and intention to purchase branded items. These findings help to understand the concept and development direction of metaverse, and are expected to make important contributions to the field of brand marketing strategy formulation and metaverse-related user behavior research.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.36-49
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• 2023

This study investigated effects of metaverse experience on avatar fashion item benefit sought and the impact of fashion item benefit sought on fashion item purchase behavior. An online survey was carried out in the last year targeting male and female consumers aged 15 to 39 years who had purchased avatar fashion items from 'Zepeto'. A total of 363 responses were analyzed in this study. Results are as follows. First, four factors of metaverse experience were derived: 'entertainment experience', 'escape experience', 'adventure experience', and 'relationship experience'. Four factors of avatar fashion item benefit sought were derived: 'trend/brand sought', 'situation suitability sought', 'individuality sought', and 'ideal appearance sought'. Second, all four factors of metaverse experience were found to significantly affect the benefit of trend/brand sought. It was found that entertainment, adventure, and relationship experiences, excluding escape experiences, had significant effects on situational suitability sought. In addition, it was confirmed that entertainment and adventure experiences had significant effects on individuality sought and ideal appearance, respectively. Third, it was found that the trend/brand sought had a significant effect on metaverse usage time and purchase amount and that the situational suitability sought influenced the number of avatar fashion items purchased.