For two days between January 28 to 29, the DSU BK 4th Stage Future Visual Contents Innovation Convergence Education Research Group, together with the DSU 3DFC Center and the Graduate School of Visual Contents, held “The Future of Creative, Convergent and Collective Contents in Game, Animation & Visual Image Conference,” the first international academic conference on the theme of future visual contents. Held online from Soyang Art Hall, the conference was transmitted in real time through both Zoom and the YouTube channel of the Department of Video Animation. A simultaneous interpretation service was also provided.

In order to respond to the dramatic industrial, technical, and academic changes underway in animation, games, and VFX fields that are accelerating the convergence of cutting-edge technologies, the event organized future innovation education, research, and the latest technological trends as topics to cover in detail. Accordingly, world-renowned scholars and industry experts from a number of countries were invited to discuss and exchange future content technology trends and future directions. Indeed, this diverse participation is one means by which the conference became the starting point of contributing to the establishment of an international network and academic exchange system, and to the reinforcement of the research capabilities of graduate students. In addition, this academic conference has been designated as a significant, core international academic activity in the BK 4th stage project, and will continue to be an annual event in the future in order to further buttress its status and brand as a preeminent international academic conference in the field.

Day 1 of the Conference (January 28, 10:00-16:30)
The opening of the event began with congratulatory remarks by DSU Vice-Chancellor Kim Jung-sun, College of Software Convergence Dean Lim Hyo-taek, and Chancellor Chu Jin-yeom of the Korea-China New Media College of Jungnam Finance and Economics University. The keynote speech was then presented by KAIST Emeritus Professor Kwangyun Wohn, who is leading the field of new video content technology through such endeavors as the establishment of the KAIST Cultural Technology Research Center focused on the development of XR, a core technology of the 4th industrial revolution. This technology, Professor Wohn explained, is a combination of VR for the purpose of virtual reality experiences, AR that mixes digital information in the real environment, and MR where the virtual and real world harmonize; from this, a transition is made to XR where the boundary between the virtual and the real is broken. This was followed by an examination of the consequent development of future digital content, all attendees at the conference greatly benefiting from Professor Wohn’s extensive knowledge and insight.

In the first part of Day 1’s proceedings, three experts gave presenta- tions under the theme of “Creative Content: Where technology goes?”. First, Robert Song, producer of the first Canadian game company Hitgrab, discussed the theme of “Game Tech and Globalization,” fol- lowed by Professor Liu Chen of the Beijing Film Academy, China's leading film education institution, on the theme of “Future Video Digital Technology.” Third, Professor Lee Byeong-choon, the head of the DSU 3DFC Center, gave a presentation on the subject of “The Use of 3D Scanning for the Cornerstone of XR Content Production,” after which the floor was opened to questions and discussions.

Under the theme of “Convergent Content: How to explore our imagi- nation?,” in the second part of the day artist Lee Tae-hee of Zoic Studio in Canada discussed “Virtual Production,” Professor Ryu Yak- jween of the Beijing Film Academy discussed “VR Contents Project R&D,” and DSU Department of Visual Contents Professor Choi Dong- hyeok gave a presentation on the subject of “The Plan to Utilize Industry and Technology for the Development of Virtual Convergence Technology (XR)”; again, a discussion session followed. Finally, in part 3 of the first day, 10 further participating professors and graduate students conducted a Q&A session on themes of future video content under the rubric “Collective Content: How to Share Our Knowledge?”.

Day 2 of the Conference: Thesis Presentations and Workshop (January 29, 10:00-15:00)
A total of 21 papers were presented on Day 2 of the conference, focusing on the widely-ranging discourse of “The Future of Game, Video, and Animation Content.” Seven sessions of three papers each were presented online and open critiques were held, with 12 masters/doctoral students in the Department of Visual Contents, foreign graduate students, and professors participating. As result of these sessions, a total of three Excellent Papers prizes were awarded.

In addition, from 13:00 to 15:00 an online workshop led by artist Kim Jun-young of A52 Studio in the United States was held to demonstrate the latest video production techniques and give participants ample time to answer questions. In this workshop, many undergraduate students and graduate students of the Department of Visual Contents attended and gained valuable experience and practical know-how about the latest technology.