- Alpha Circle to compete in overseas markets with solutions optimized for VR
- Business goals to work with mega corporates like Netflix, Disney, NVIDIA, and INTEL
- Synergy expected through cooperation with platform and content developers located in Pangyo

As the number of people staying at home is increasing due to theprolonged COVID-19 pandemic, more people are looking for the VR services thatallow you to enjoy the sense of presence and immersion anytime and anywhere.Among them, the entertainment market is one of the areas where VR services areactive. In the era of untact, the VR market can thrive, and there is a companythat is drawing attention by developing a video solution that significantlyimproves the quality of VR that had been notorious as being poor. Alpha Circle(CEO Shin Eui-hyun) located in Pangyo Techno Valley is a VR image qualityimprovement solution developer that aims to become a solution company thatleads the global VR video software market.

Shin has accumulated expertise in the fields of virtual reality(VR) and augmented reality (AR), and he found a way to improve the poor imagequality while trying out various VR contents. He thought, "VR users cannotlook at multiple screens at once, so by focusing the picture quality only on thescreen currently on view, maybe we can succeed in expressing high-quality356-degrees!" As he converted his ideas into concrete algorithms andapplied for technology development and patents, Shin learned that there aresimilar solutions in Silicon Valley, Europe, and Japan. But, he said, “Oursolution Alpha Circle View is much better in picture quality and theperformance felt by the users.”

People think VR is used as a means of virtual movement to placespeople want to go like New York, Paris, or even the outer space from home, butthey are often disappointed at the poor experience VR provides. Shin says hehad solved such issues with his solution.

Alpha Circle View, an image quality improvement solutiondeveloped by Alpha Circle, boasts 8K (7680x4320) quality in VR with itsexclusive algorithm. VR is a 360-degree screen that completely surrounds theuser, so even with the same 4K, the image quality of the viewing angle (90 to100 degrees horizontally) that the user sees through the VR device is not up toHD level. Alpha Circle View maximizes the image quality only on the view anglearea of the user to display threshold, and other areas are on standby withminimum quality. The method of showing the screen is technically the world'shighest level of performance that seamlessly connects and reproduces segmentedvideos without technical errors of even one frame (1/60 sec for 60fps video).

Alpha Circle, which provides high-definition VR services tousers in cooperation with VR content providers, is expanding its market toeducation and medical fields, starting with entertainment. Shin said, “Recentlydue to COVID-19, previously offline-centered businesses are very stagnant thesedays. Particularly, performing arts like musicals are going through very difficulttimes due to social distancing, and it’s disheartening. But with Alpha CircleView solution, I think we can provide alternate solutions.”

Last December, Alpha Circle released Mamamoo VR Album with Genie Music by using Alpha Circle View, and this was reviewed quite favorably. Using this opportunity as a stepping stone, Alpha Circle plans to release a K-POP VP album within this year with Genie Music, which was selected for the 5G Realistic Content Overseas Co-production Support Project hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT. The company is also preparing for various VR service projects with CJ ENM and other major entertainment companies.

"The VR market will continue to expand and the company'sgrowth potential is also great because various contents and solutions arerequired," said Shin. He also said Pangyo is where there are many contentsfor startups, and he is planning to use Pangyo's infrastructure to open up theway to advance to the global world. He ended the interview by saying, "Ourmid-to-long-term goal is to reach out to the overseas market. It is our goal tobecome the solution company that leads the global VR video software market bycollaborating with overseas VR content providers."