In the heart of the trendy Meatpacking District in New York City stands a three-story cultural and digital playground set up by South Korea’s tech giant Samsung Electronics Co. The company opened the cultural space in February as its official marketing center in North America, and ever since, it has become a hot destination for visitors in the neighborhood.

Samsung 837 - named after the street number - is located in the center of Meatpacking District in Manhattan, well-known for its vibrant and creative atmosphere. The district was once home to many butcher shops and meatpacking plants but over time it has transformed into a cultural neighborhood for up-and-coming artists. Samsung 837 is an experience center that displays Samsung Electronics’ cutting-edge technology that ranges from virtual reality to ultra high-definition displays.

According to Samsung 837 on Tuesday, a total of 150,000 visitors have stopped by the marketing center in just four months after it opened - that is over 1,000 visitors on average per day. Samsung 837 says that the center was created to publicize Samsung brand and to introduce Samsung’s overall corporate ecosystem. The center also allows the company to communicate with consumers by receiving product feedbacks, it adds.

When entering the Samsung 837 building, visitors are greeted by a giant digital screen. A selfie taken at the entrance appears on the large screen. Inside the building, there is also an oval-shaped space called Social Galaxy where walls are covered with light emitting diode (LED) monitors. When visitors log in to their Instagram accounts, the walls display photos that have been uploaded on their own Instagram. Samsung 837 says that Social Galaxy is the most popular in the venue. The center also recently opened a virtual reality space where visitors can experience Samsung’s new spherical video camera, the Gear 360.

Samsung 837 is also known in the area for organizing many cultural events. It provides various health programs like yoga, hosts live radio broadcasting, concerts, and cooking shows. It also offers a jogging program called the 837 Run Club that allows visitors to wear the Gear S2, Samsung’s smartwatch, and jog along the nearby High Line Park. This summer, Samsung 837 plans to hold a large-scale cultural event called The Summer of 837 and offer numerous programs and events that involve boxing, yoga, meditation, jogging, live concerts, and lunch talk sessions. Samsung 837 says that the center plays the role of allowing New York citizens to personally experience Samsung products in everyday lives.

By Lee Sun-hee

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