A participant operates a virtual character on a computer from the fourth floor of a cafe building during the "Shy Cafe" pop-up in Seongsu-dong, Seoul in June. The monitor displays both the avatar broadcast to the kiosk and a live view of the cafe captured by a camera mounted on the kiosk. Courtesy of NHIS Seoul-Gangwon Regional Headquarters Facebook
Customers ordering drinks at a cafe in Seoul's Seongsu neighborhood interacted with a virtual avatar instead of a standard menu screen. They ordered drinks while chatting with the avatar about topics covering their favorite songs or whether they preferred summer or winter.
When a female customer complimented the character's voice and suggested she would be good at counseling, the avatar said she previously worked at a call center but struggled with severe anxiety. Other customers immediately offered encouragement, telling the character it was not an easy job and that they were doing well.
Behind the virtual character was a young person experiencing social withdrawal. The three-day "Shy Cafe" pop-up, which operated from June 23-25, is a work-experience program where socially isolated young people operate virtual characters to respond to customers.
