SK Telecom (NYSE:SKM) announced that it began offering around 100 exclusive VR contents of ‘Produce X 101,’ a popular idol audition program in Korea, from May 18. To provide the show’s VR contents, a dedicated menu titled ‘Produce X 101’ has been newly added within the VR menu of the ‘SKT-5GX’ section of oksusu, the largest OTT video service in Korea.

‘Produce X 101’ is one of the most popular programs on Mnet, Korea’s top music channel, where 101 contestants show off their talents, aiming to become global idol stars. This marks the first time the program is available as VR content since it first aired in 2016.

SK Telecom applied various 5G technologies from planning and filming phases of ‘Produce X 101.’ 3D UHD cameras, which boast at least four times better resolution than full HD, were used to film joint performances of the contestants. Also, video distortion correction technology was used to produce realistic and natural 3D video, and ‘multi-view’ service is offered to allow users to watch multiple cast members simultaneously.

Thanks to these 5G technologies, viewers will feel as if the contestants are performing right in front of their eyes. While watching the video, they can also pinch zoom the screen to get a closer look at the contestant’s facial expressions or dance routines, which creates a significantly different experience compared to watching the show on TV.

The VR contents of ‘Produce X 101’ will be provided to SK Telecom customers free of charge.

At present, SK Telecom is offering a total of around 400 VR video contents via the ‘SKT-5GX’ section of oksusu, which is a fourfold increase since April 3. Moreover, with the growth of 5G original contents, the cumulative views of these VR video contents have reached 1.4 million as of April 17, 2019.

“SK Telecom is witnessing a dramatic rise in the use of VR video contents on ‘oksusu’ since the launch of its 5G service,” said Yang Maeng-seog, Vice President and Head of 5GX Service Business Group of SK Telecom. “SK Telecom will continue to provide customers with a differentiated 5G experience by rapidly expanding dedicated services and contents on diverse themes.”