Korean pharmaceutical companies are using metaverse, a convergence of virtual and physical space, to actively communicate with newcomers of the “MZ generation.”

MZ generation, or millennials and Generation Z, refers to people born between 1980 and 1994 (millennials) and between 1995 and 2004 (Generation Z).

Samsung Biologics said it held the 2021 Bio Do Dream Challenge, a celebration for employees on their first anniversary of joining the company, using metaverse at Songdo headquarters on Thursday.

The word metaverse comprises the prefix “meta,” meaning virtual, and “universe,” referring to the real world.

The company held the event on Gather Town, a metaverse platform.

At the 2021 Bio Do Dream Challenge, the company celebrated the first anniversary of over 400 employees who were hired in 2020 and shared their goals.

The company took the metaverse platform because it was difficult to gather many people due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the MZ generation preferred contactless communication.

The event started with a congratulatory message from Samsung Biologics CEO John Rim, followed by a quiz show, a special lecture, and thank-you cards.

Samsung Biologics said it plans to expand the use of the metaverse for educational programs and major events so that all employees can use it.

It is not the first time that a Korean company has used metaverse as a channel for communication with newcomers.

GC Pharma conducted introductory training for new employees at an online training center using metaverse for two days on Oct. 13-14. GC Pharma was the first to use metaverse in training new workers.

The company used the views of the headquarters, the R&D center, and the training center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, in the metaverse program.

GC Pharma utilized metaverse to overcome the limitation of online education amid the pandemic and improve new employees’ learning effect. Metaverse makes it easier to provide interactive training compared to conventional online education, the company said.

“In a virtual space, which is familiar to the MZ generation, we provided a two-way education program using voice recognition, video connection, and screen sharing. As a result, new employees said they were very satisfied,” an official at GC Pharma said.

GC Pharma said it would gradually expand metaverse-using internal education programs.

“It is still burdensome to make lots of people gather at one place because of Covid-19. So, it is meaningful that the company is trying to communicate with employees online,” an industry official said. “Young generations are surely interested in the metaverse. I think metaverse will be used more for new employee training.”