Visitors to the historic Mireuksa Temple site in South Korea will soon be able to step back 1,400 years in time, thanks to a cutting-edge outdoor extended reality (XR) project.

The National Heritage Administration and the National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage hosted a public trial on November 6 for "Aspiration of Baekje - Mireuksa 639." Named after the specific year recorded in the temple's western pagoda reliquary, the project uses advanced digital tech to reconstruct structures like the grand nine-story wooden pagoda, middle gates, and corridors directly over the existing foundation stones.

Unlike indoor virtual reality exhibits, this initiative marks South Korea's first application of immersive XR technology to an open-air historical site. Equipped with head-mounted displays (HMDs), visitors can physically walk through the sprawling grounds while viewing life-sized digital reconstructions seamlessly overlaid onto the real-world ruins.

The system leverages satellite-based communication to synchronize multiple headsets, allowing groups of tourists to experience the virtual environment together. Developers also incorporated "passthrough" technology and virtual alignment stations to ensure digital structures dynamically adjust to natural lighting, shadows, and individual viewing angles without requiring external sensors.

An interactive guide avatar accompanies visitors along the tour route, detailing the historical significance of the artifacts and architecture without needing a physical tour guide. This builds upon previous tablet-based AR trials from 2024 by offering a fully hands-free, walkable immersion.

Authorities plan to gather public feedback from the ongoing demonstration to refine the software. A full commercial rollout at the Iksan site is slated for the first half of 2027 in cooperation with the local government.

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