Keynote Talk 1 (Oct.9, 2025, Thu, 09:00-10:00)
Dongkyu Kim | CEO, CALIVERSE
Title: Beyond Words: Beyond Reality [CALIVERSE]’s Vision for the Metaverse
Abstract
CALIVERSE is a next-generation AI metaverse platform that seamlessly combines immersive shopping, live performances, gaming, and Web3 user-generated content into a unified virtual experience.
Built on cutting-edge technologies such as Unreal Engine 5, AI-powered lighting, VR AI enhancement, real time live-action rendering integration, and 3D AI conversion, CALIVERSE delivers an incredibly lifelike virtual world.
The platform supports multiple environments, including PC, VR HMD, and glasses-free 3D displays (Screen Protector), delivering high-fidelity 4K+ virtual experiences with premium quality and deep immersion.
In particular, CALIVERSE seamlessly composites live-action footage with real-time rendered graphics and utilizes AI lighting and image enhancement technologies to deliver natural and visually coherent virtual performances.
It can depict audiences of over 80,000, setting it apart from conventional metaverse platforms designed for younger users.
By integrating Korea’s advanced server networking technology, CALIVERSE enables massively scaled simultaneous connections, setting a new standard for ultra-immersive next generation metaverse platforms.
Speaker Biography
Dongkyu Kim began his career at NC SOFT, a leading South Korean game developer, marking his entry into the gaming industry. He then spent over a decade at SEGA, one of Japan’s most renowned game companies, where he served on the Korean board and developed deep expertise in global game development and operations.
With a strong vision for immersive technology, Mr. Kim founded VISION VR, specializing in next-generation VR content. Leveraging proprietary interaction patents, the company created premium experiences—such as interactive cinema and virtual concerts— for major platforms including KT, LG U+, and SONY PlayStation, earning industry acclaim. In 2021, following a strategic merger with Lotte Data Communication, the company was rebranded as CALIVERSE. Under Mr. Kim’s leadership, CALIVERSE has focused on building a highly immersive metaverse platform that blends real-world fidelity with creative interactivity.
CALIVERSE enables users to evolve from consumers to creators through a content-driven ecosystem where individuals can produce, share, and monetize their work. The platform combines live-action graphics with virtual environments, supports stereoscopic 3D content via proprietary film technology, and is compatible with a wide range of devices—bridging the digital and physical worlds.
Rooted in Web 3.0 principles, CALIVERSE is redefining the metaverse experience through superior content quality, accessibility, and device integration.
The platform has been featured at major global events including CES (2022–2025) and GDC 2025, as well as key regional showcases such as Metaverse Expo 2023 and Korea Blockchain Week 2023, drawing attention for its unmatched immersion and technological excellence.
Keynote Talk 2 (Oct.10, 2025 Fri, 09:00-10:00)
Kihwan Kim | Corporate EVP/Head of Team, Samsung Electronics
Title: A Journey to AI x XR: What is the best device for the multi-modal AI era?
Abstract
In the era of multi-modal Artificial Intelligence (AI), the convergence of AI and eXtended Reality (XR) is revolutionizing immersive technologies. In this talk, I will review the technical challenges in the XR industry over the last decade, and show how we have overcome those by exploring the pivotal role of on-device AI, multi-modal AI and computer vision in advancing XR experiences, especially on various XR form-factors including Project Moohan - the first device utilizing a new AndroidXR platform, an initiative bridging AI and XR to redefine user-centric real-world XR applications. The talk will underscore how multi-modal AI integrates diverse data streams—visual, spatial, and contextual—to create seamless, intelligent, and immersive XR experiences while synergies between software and hardware innovations are also emphasized. Attendees will gain insights into Samsung’s vision for next-generation devices and the transformative potential of these technologies across various industries.
Speaker Biography
Kihwan Kim is a computer scientist and technology executive serving as Corporate Executive Vice President at Samsung Electronics. He drives innovation in AI and XR by leading the development of Project Moohan, an eXtended Reality (XR) headset on the Android XR OS, which he co-designed with Google. He has pioneered innovations such as Under-Display Camera (UDC), Photo Remaster, and Nightography for Samsung’s flagship mobile devices. Recognized for his contributions to computer vision communities such as CVPR, NeurIPS, and ICCV, as well as industry events such as CES, SDC, and Google I/O, cementing his influence in AI-driven technologies. Holding a Ph.D. and M.S. in Computer Science from the Georgia Institute of Technology, Kihwan formerly served as a Principal Research Scientist at NVIDIA, advancing 3D computer vision and AI-driven 3D scene understanding.
Keynote Talk 3 (Oct.11, 2025 Sat, 16:00-17:00)
Soonmin Bae | CEO, Chief Responsible AI Officer (CRAIO), KT
Title: Distributed AI: The Future of Connected Intelligence
Abstract
We are witnessing the dawn of Distributed AI, where intelligence is no longer confined to centralized clouds but extends to the edge of networks. Edge AI now encompasses Physical AI that interacts with the real world and Agentic AI that acts autonomously, bringing intelligence closer to people, devices, and environments. Concurrently, Cloud AI provides the scale, coordination, and learning capacity necessary to connect these edge systems. This keynote will highlight how the rise of Distributed AI signals the beginning of a new era—one in which intelligence emerges through the interplay of Edge and Cloud, with connectivity as the key enabler of progress.
Speaker Biography
Dr. Soonmin Bae is the Chief Responsible AI Officer (CRAIO) at KT, Korea’s leading telecommunications and AI company, where she oversees AI Transformation initiatives and the development of Korean Sovereign AI. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT CSAIL and a B.S. in Computer Science from KAIST, with minors in Applied Mathematics and Industrial Business.
Dr. Bae has led the development of AI and robotic vision technologies at Samsung and Hanwha Techwin, gaining extensive hands-on experience in industrial AI deployment. At NAVER, she served as Clova AI Lead, directing the research and commercialization of multimedia AI models, including video and avatar technologies. Since 2021, she has led KT AI Labs, driving the development of Mi:dm, a proprietary AI model tailored for industrial and public-sector applications. She is also dedicated to expanding citizen-centric AI services and fostering a sustainable AI ecosystem.
Dr. Bae advises multiple government and public sector bodies on AI policy, including the Ministry of Science and ICT, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Seoul Metropolitan Government, and Gyeonggi Province. In 2023, she received the Minister’s Commendation from the Ministry of Science and ICT, the Contribution Award from the Korean Institute of Information Scientists and Engineers, and the Entrepreneur Award from the Korean Artificial Intelligence Association.
She actively engages the public in AI through media and lectures, including appearances on KBS’s “With Teacher” and JTBC’s “Differentiated Class,” helping to bridge the gap between AI and the general public.