"What if We Sent Jeju's Stories to Mars?" Cheju Halla University Breaks Educational Mold with Space-AI Fusion Launch Party

Like astronauts exploring an unfamiliar planet, students roamed the streets of Hamdeok in Jeju, crafting AI-powered messages to send to space. Cheju Halla University showcased an experimental educational setting that breaks out of the classroom to connect the local community with future technology.

The RISE Business Division of Cheju Halla University (Director Ko Seokyong) announced the successful conclusion of the space-AI fusion program ‘Launch Party: Crafting Jeju’s Platinum Record’ at Island WorkLab Hamdeok on the 28th (Friday). Held as part of ‘Global Space Connect Day,’ co-hosted with Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, this event stood out as ‘festival-like education’ that went far beyond simple hands-on activities.

The heart of this program was ‘immersion’ and ‘connection.’ With Stanford d.school faculty directly providing instruction and applying design thinking methodology, students transformed from passive learners into active ‘space creators.‘

Continuing the Dream of Voyager: The ‘Platinum Record’ Project

The Golden Record that flew into space aboard Voyager 1 in 1977 carried the civilization of humanity. Paying homage to this, students asked the question: “What would Jeju’s stories of 2025 look like if sent to space?” — and created their own ‘Platinum Records.’ In the process, they used generative AI to give concrete form to their messages through text, images, and sound, fusing technology with humanistic imagination.

Introducing Astronaut Training Methods: ‘Micro Missions’

Instead of sitting in a classroom, students undertook ‘Micro Missions’ inspired by astronaut training. They visited local shops in Hamdeok and directly used ‘Tamna-neun Jeon’ (a local currency), observing the flow of the local economy. The process of exploring an unfamiliar environment (Jeju local) and solving problems based on observed data closely mirrors the process of executing an actual space mission.

4-Stage Immersive Course

The program was conducted as a 4-stage immersive course where students moved on foot and worked with their hands.

• Stage 1 [Exploration] Into the Local:

  Exploring local shops and streets in Hamdeok, collecting perspectives from local residents and experiencing local culture

• Stage 2 [Conception] Concept Art:

  Visualizing collected experiences to create original concept art by team

• Stage 3 [Communication] AI Backup Message:

  Under the mission to “transmit this experience to a Mars base,” creating creative messages using generative AI

• Stage 4 [Launch] Showcase:

  Presenting and sharing outcomes in a networking party finale

Young Joon Lee, Head of the Core Talent Development Division at Cheju Halla University, noted, “It was very impressive to watch students define problems for themselves and unpack the grand themes of AI and space through local stories,” and added, “Going forward, we will continue to expand innovative educational models where universities and industry collaborate so that students can build genuine competencies at the intersection of local community and emerging industries.”

The Cheju Halla University RISE Business Division plans to continue various community-embedded projects to cultivate creative convergence talent in aerospace and AI, building on the outcomes of this event.