Smilegate Hope Studio is running the 'Let's PLAY! Digital Creative Expedition' in Daegu to support creative activities for children and adolescents in population-decline areas.

The Digital Creative Expedition supports AI creative activities for children and adolescents in population-decline and remote or mountainous areas. It is operated using lottery funds from the Community Chest of Korea and the Lottery Commission.

From July 27th to 31th, 22 children and adolescents alongside 6 youth mentors from 2 local children's centers in Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do, carried out a generative AI music video production project.

This time, 93 children from 10 local children's centers in Seo-gu, Nam-gu, and Gunwi-gun, Daegu Metropolitan City, and 20 local youth mentors are participating. Hope Studio selected the participating institutions and mentors by reviewing application motives and operational capabilities.

On September 11, an orientation was held at Daegu Technopark for local children's center teachers and mentors. The session introduced Hope Studio's creative environment philosophy, how to use the creative learning app 'AhaOho', and an 8-week curriculum.

Participating children will engage in AI-based creative activities themed around an urban exploration challenge from the fourth week of September until the end of November. Mentor teams consisting of 2 youth mentors will visit local children's centers to take photos, do storytelling, and drawing with the kids.

Jeong Ho-young, a teacher at the Gunwi Local Children's Center, said, "We applied for the program because it seemed like a great opportunity to directly utilize digital technology and various creative tools," adding, "We expect that the children will build experience in turning creative ideas into actual results and develop digital competencies by cooperating with mentors."

Kwon Yeon-joo, a director at Hope Studio, stated, "Hope Studio is bridging the regional creative environment gap and enhancing the future competencies of children and adolescents," and added, "We will continue to move forward as a sustainable platform that helps the happy growth of the future generation by cooperating with public, corporate, and private partners."