"Surgery is also 3D video era." Veterflix, what's the secret of your explosive popularity?

Interview with Kim Kijin, CEO of 3D Medivision
3D-implemented surgery education platform 'Veterflix' hit the jackpot
Establishing a pathway to experience surgery without animals
Subscriptions like Netflix

As social interest in animal protection and welfare increases, practice with live animals is decreasing. The problem is that veterinary students who practiced with animals in the past are learning their senses with rubber-textured models and stuffed animals instead of animals. This is why, no matter how much you practice with a model, you can't help but get scared when you come across an actual animal. Those who majored in veterinary medicine complain that they feel a sense of disparity between the organs in the model and the organs in real animals, to the extent that they wonder if I am dealing with a different organ altogether.

What if real surgery scenes could be viewed and learned vividly in 3D on a video platform such as Netflix? With this in mind, there is a company that is growing explosively in the anthropomorphic and veterinary markets by making ultra-fine lenses to shoot surgical contents, creating their own video platform, and uploading related videos. It is 3D Medivision. This is why IT Chosun recently met CEO Kim Ki-jin at 3D Medivision's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul.​

Kim Ki-jin, CEO of 3DMedivision, explains why he created betterflix. / IT Chosun DB

3DMedivision was established in 2011 to develop educational equipment for surgeons. Afterwards, as the demand for education of people who operate on microscopic parts such as brain blood vessels in the medical field grew, they started to develop 3D camera lenses. This is to help more doctors see surgical images viewed through a microscope efficiently through monitors.

It wasn't simple. It was difficult to record the surgery scene even if the angle was slightly shifted. In particular, when focusing on a narrow human body, problems such as white balance caused the surgical scene to appear white or invisible. It took about 6 years to capture the anatomy and color better than the microscope in the operating room.

Kim Ki-jin, CEO, said, "While general medical education content is only 2D, the content we provide is 3D-based that implements the most similar to real life. We have reflected all the requirements of the company,” he said.

Thus, 3D Medivision succeeded in developing a camera lens and drew attention from the industry. In the 2016 Series A investment round, it attracted more than 6 billion won in investment from KTB Investment & Securities, KB Financial Group, and Daily Financial Group.

Backed by investment, 3DMedivision launched Surgflix, a platform that distributes surgical videos for educational purposes in 2017. Netflix, a global OTT (Over The Top, TV service that can be viewed over the Internet), was used as an example. The result was successful. Even if doctors do not have to go to the actual operation site, 3D images can be used to observe the operation in the operating room. Based on these advantages, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Cha Hospital, and Severance Hospital are currently using it for resident training.

As word of mouth spread in the human education sector, inquiries from the veterinary industry flooded. This is because, as interest in animal welfare increases, clinical practice on live animals has become difficult. It is also not easy to obtain a cadaver. Rubber textured models also exist, but the problem is cost. It is difficult to purchase or maintain a model with an insufficient training budget.

In response, the company launched Veterflix, an online veterinary education platform, last year. The reaction was explosive. Whether it's at a veterinary hospital or at home, any veterinarian can learn by watching related videos anytime, anywhere. There are a lot of animal-related anatomy content on YouTube, but it is not content for education. Veterinarians flocked to it because it was a 2D/3D production video for thorough education such as dissection of various animals and surgical scenes. Within a year of entering the market, it generated explosive profits. The break-even point (BEP) has already been exceeded. It is quite different from Surgeflix, which was popular but sales were negligible. CEO Kim Ki-jin said, "For effective education, many people need to experience cadaveric practice or see the surgery scene at once." said

If you subscride, you can enjoy 3D-based surgery scenes like Netflix

3D Medivision videos are produced in this way. First, at a hospital that has signed a business agreement with 3D Medivision, the company's 3D camera takes pictures of the surgery. At this time, three cameras are installed. This is to secure a perfect angle image without interfering with the operator's operation. After that, when you send a video to 3D Medivision, 3D MediVision communicates with the medical staff, edits the video, and uploads it to Veterflix. The revenue (subscription fee) from the video is shared between 3D Medivision and the medical staff who filmed the video.

​ Not everyone has access to Betterflix. Subscriptions are possible only when it is proved that you are a person related to the veterinary field through a veterinary license or a veterinary school student ID. When subscribing, 3DMedivision provides 3D glasses for TV and 3D glasses for smartphones. As of June, 2,200 monthly active users (MAUs) flocked to Betterflix by creating an environment where they can study without restrictions in places such as animal hospitals, schools, homes, and subways. In the same month, the number of new subscribers reached 1,600.

Veterflix 3D glasses for smartphones. It provides an environment where you can view 3D images just by installing it on your smartphone. / IT Shipbuilding DB

Veterinary content currently uploaded to Veterflix ranges from simple surgical videos such as open surgery and surgical techniques that local veterinarians can easily apply to orthopedic surgery.

CEO Kim said, "As I uploaded various veterinary education contents such as obstetrics, ophthalmology, anesthesia, and dentistry, sales in the veterinary sector increased rapidly.

According to CEO Kim, 3D MediVision is supplying ‘Vet TV’ composed of set-top boxes, etc. like Apple TV to Seoul National University and Chungbuk National University. Even if the animals are not dissected every time, it is an environment where students can learn while watching a single dissection or surgery scene at school.

"Korea has sufficient capacity to lead the veterinary medical device market"

Throughout the interview, CEO Kim emphasized that Korea has sufficient ability to lead the human and veterinary medical device market. However, he emphasized that it is unfortunate that talented people are not shining because there is no medical device company that can support this. Overseas, a growing medical device company supports doctors, creating a virtuous cycle ecosystem. However, as there are no advanced medical device companies in Korea, they are unable to provide support for nurturing talent.

He said, "Despite the world's highest level of surgical ability in Korea, there is no strong medical device, and there is no recognition in the related field, which is a disappointing situation."

On the other hand, he predicted that the abilities of these talents could be fully demonstrated in the veterinary industry. He emphasized, "The veterinary industry is still a market with no strong players, and it is a market where 3D Medivision can show its strength in the medical device market."

It claims to be the only company in the world that can provide 3D educational content, its production device, and platform. He explained, "If you release veterinary surgery education content online at an affordable price, you can create an online training center without time and place restrictions.

3DMedivision will supply Vet TVs to Western University's Veterinary College in the US in the second half of this year and enter the US market. With this as a starting point, the strategy is to install Vet TVs in schools around the world and expand to the United States, Japan, and China.​

Kim Ki-jin, CEO of 3DMedivision, is explaining 3D surgery images registered as Betterflix contents. / IT Chosun DB

In Korea, the goal is to increase the status of the veterinary industry in Korea by securing more and more diverse surgical operation images in connection with university animal hospitals and by opening an opportunity for online and offline practical training. He said, "We want to install a model like the veterinary education center in France at each base in the world and provide a high-quality educational space using 3D education content. said.

He continued, "The background of Netflix's success lies in the quantity and quality of content." He said, "Betterflix will also upload hundreds of content within the second half of this year to secure competitiveness while contributing to raising the status of the veterinary industry in Korea."

Reporter Yoo Jin-sang, jinsang@chosunbiz.com / Reporter Kim Yeon-ji ginsburg@chosunbiz.com

Sources : http://it.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2020/07/27/2020072703811.html (KR)