Kinoton, Noneuni Teukgongdae sign MOU to develop immersive screen concept 'The-BOX'

Kinoton, a domestic digital media and spatial solutions company, is joining forces with Noneuni Teukgongdae Entertainment to develop The-BOX, a new-concept immersive screen venue.

The two companies signed a business MOU on Friday, agreeing to combine Kinoton's video, audio and LED technology and platform planning capabilities with Noneuni Teukgongdae's content development expertise, AI and video production technology, and artist network.

Under the agreement, Kinoton will oversee the overall planning and operation of The-BOX, while Noneuni Teukgongdae will focus on sourcing and developing K-pop-centered content and connecting the project with entertainment agencies and artists.

The two companies plan to carry out detailed joint work on the business model and content strategy, with the goal of opening the first The-BOX location in Seoul in the first half of 2027. They intend to use that launch as a springboard to convert some screens at multiplex theaters in South Korea and abroad to The-BOX system, steadily expanding the project's reach.

The-BOX is a multipurpose immersive screen venue built around LED technology, designed to present K-pop live streaming, performances, media art, and family and children's content all under one roof. The space and visitor flow are structured so that the audience experience continues seamlessly from entry through the main program and beyond.

Kinoton has spent several years working with Cosm, a US-based immersive entertainment company, under an agency agreement, developing immersive dome environments along with the video, audio and broadcast systems to support them. The company has particularly focused on expanding beyond the traditional planetarium concept to research a new generation of viewing experiences covering live performances, sports, media art and interactive content.

The-BOX is the next-generation spatial model that emerged from that extended research and development process, designed to deliver vivid, immersive visuals in dome entertainment venues and movie theaters alike.

Noneuni Teukgongdae will draw on its content expertise in music, performance and entertainment to secure and develop programming for The-BOX. The company plans to leverage the production experience and industry network of co-CEO Kim Hyung-seok — a composer and producer with more than 1,400 registered copyrights — to build a diverse portfolio of content intellectual property and actively pursue new co-productions.

"When groundbreaking content is combined with the video, audio and LED technology that Kinoton has built over 20 years as the country's leading media and visual solutions company, we will be able to deliver a viewing experience that no conventional screen can match," Kinoton CEO Bae Yun-seong said. "Through The-BOX, we will develop and bring to life a new screening model where technology, content and space work together organically."

"The ways in which content reaches audiences are expanding rapidly as technology and the media environment evolve," said Kim Hyung-seok, co-CEO of Noneuni Teukgongdae. "We will work to make The-BOX a space that connects diverse content with audiences, drawing on our AI and video production capabilities and our K-pop artist network."

Meanwhile, Kinoton marked its 20th anniversary in June and unveiled a future vision at that time. The company aims to strengthen its existing business lines while also identifying, developing and holding content intellectual property — positioning itself as an "IP holder" that integrates the entire process from content production through distribution under one roof.