Even British MZ Caught Attention... Visiting This Place Set Up by Samsung Electronics at King's Cross [Report]

【London (UK) = Im Su-bin】On the 9th (local time), I visited the top floor of the 'Coal Drops Yard' shopping mall in the King's Cross area of London, UK. The 'Samsung King's Cross (KX)' located here was operating as an experience hub where citizens and tourists could directly experience technology in daily life, beyond a simple exhibition hall. 
On one side of the exhibition hall, there was an 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) Home' experience zone that seemed to replicate an actual living space. TVs, lights, and home appliances were linked to Samsung's AI platform 'SmartThings', moving according to the user's daily routine, and the refrigerator recognized internal ingredients to suggest recipes and automatically sent them to the oven. The most visited place was the 'AI Kitchen'. As a chef demonstrated cooking using AI appliances, spectators sat around watching the process, and a couple from Germany said, "We usually use Samsung appliances, but seeing various devices connected and moving in a space decorated like a home was even more fascinating." 
■ Implementation of AI Home Resembling a British Household

According to the industry on the 10th, Samsung Electronics established Samsung KX on the top floor of 'Coal Drops Yard' in the King's Cross area in September 2019. Six years later, it has become a place visited by thousands of people on average weekly. Through this place, Samsung Electronics has created an experience space reflecting the structure and atmosphere of British homes, allowing local consumers to experience technology in real life. Instead of just displaying products, they implemented an 'AI Home' resembling the British residential environment, allowing consumers to use appliances as if they were at home. 
This is interpreted as a measure to actively target the British residential market, where AI Home demand is increasing. As new residential areas are increasing around London, the trend of building AI Homes from the beginning is rapidly spreading. Cheol-woong Yoon, Executive Director of Samsung Electronics UK, said, "Recently, new residential areas are rapidly emerging around London, and there is demand to build AI Homes in new houses," adding, "The UK branch is also conducting a lot of research on these residential changes, and the concept of AI Home can settle much faster in the UK, which is transitioning from Old Town to Modern City, than in other regions." 
■ Samsung's Strategic Base in London's Tech Hub

Moreover, the King's Cross area has undergone large-scale redevelopment, becoming a representative tech hub in London where global IT companies like Google, YouTube, Meta, Universal Studios, and Sony Music are settling. In this place filled with global big tech, Samsung Electronics is imprinting a young and vibrant brand image by putting AI Home at the forefront. In fact, the presence of young people was frequently observed on site. Four teenage girls from the UK were standing side by side, drawing on a Samsung tablet, and office workers were also noticeable. This shows that KX is functioning as a 'digital playground' where the MZ generation naturally enjoys and stays, rather than just a product exhibition hall. 
Samsung KX continuously hosts various programs such as art activity exhibitions, various workshops, game events, and lectures by famous figures in collaboration with about 30 universities, educational institutions, local organizations, and foundations. Deborah Honick, Executive Director of Samsung Electronics UK, said, "Samsung KX will become a space that shows how technology naturally permeates customers' daily lives, rather than just an exhibition hall." 


soup@fnnews.com Im Su-bin