called ″augmented reality″ to make their products stand out.

Our Oh Soo－young takes us shopping. Trying on clothes in the fitting room can be a hassle

when you′re shopping. But inside a store in Garosugil ， a trendy

shopping zone in Seoul， customers can try on any piece of clothing within a second...

By walking in front of a ″magic″ mirror， customers can see their reflections wearing

the item of choice. They can even move around and look at individual

stitches on the clothes. Behind this virtual experience is a technology

called augmented reality， which combines physical objects with digital graphics or

information.. The technology is becoming more and more commercialized

in Korea， popping up in fast－food and convenience stores.

While eating on the go， customers can see themselves dancing with celebrities and even

strike a pose for a photo. Some convenience stores allow a change of

scenery with virtual wall displays that even cast shadows on the floor.

″I don′t feel like I′m in a convenience store.... It′s a refreshing and tasteful

experience.″ And at this ice cream franchise， customers

scan the logo on an ice cream box... and animated characters pop out onto the screen， introducing

brand new flavors. ″Because we use animations or graphics based

on physical products to deliver information to our customers， they become more interested

and participate more...″ Creating a fun and vivid shopping experience，

augmented reality is on its way to becoming a new commercial trend in Korea.

Oh Soo－young， Arirang News.