Korea’s AI ecosystem is expanding into cultural technology as startups explore how emotional understanding, user intent, and creative context can shape new digital experiences. OpenAI’s DevDay Exchange Seoul placed this trend in the spotlight when Artue introduced an AI curator system capable of interpreting emotional cues and recommending real artworks. The demonstration showed how Korean startups are experimenting with AI applications that merge technology, culture, and user behavior.

Artue Demonstrates AI Curator Technology at OpenAI DevDay Seoul

Artue, an AI-based art recommendation platform, was officially invited to OpenAI’s DevDay Exchange Seoul on 13 November. The company showcased its AI art recommendation engine and Conversational Curator system at a demo booth titled “The Art AI Agent for ChatGPT.”

The demonstration featured real-time integration with Apps in ChatGPT. Users entered natural language prompts inside ChatGPT, such as a request for a calm or serene painting, and the system searched for matching artworks registered on the Artue platform. The booth also presented content generated with Sora, where artists appeared in videos to explain their own works.

Artue stated that the system enabled conversational exploration, recommendation, and purchasing of artworks within ChatGPT, creating a seamless art-focused user experience.

How Emotion-Driven AI Became the Core of Artue’s DevDay Presentation

Artue described its technology as a model that interprets emotion, preference, and cultural context to support personalized recommendations. The company referred to this approach as a new paradigm of Specialist Emotional Intelligence.

The model aims to understand human emotional nuance and reflect it in the language of art. Artue positioned this as an expansion beyond AI that simply reproduces or classifies artworks, highlighting a direction where AI interprets emotional significance and contextual meaning.

Artue also announced the completion of a global patent filing for its AI art recommendation and digital-twin-based transaction technology. The patent uses a Convergent AI structure that incorporates GPT, vision, voice, and blockchain modules.

How Artue Frames Its Role in the Emerging Cultural AI Landscape

Song Bo-young, CEO of Habitus Associates, the operator of Artue, said:

“Through this DevDay invitation, Artue has strengthened its position within the OpenAI ecosystem as an Art Intelligence Partner, and will continue to evolve as the standard for the next-generation Cultural Operating System, in which art and technology coexist.”

Artue further explained that its work reflects “a paradigm of emotional, preference, and cultural-context understanding that enables emotion-based recommendations.”

Why Cultural AI Is Becoming a New Layer in Korea’s Tech Ecosystem

Korea’s developer and enterprise adoption momentum remains strong, and cultural technology is gaining visibility as a new application area. Artue’s demonstration showed that Korean startups are exploring ways to integrate emotional interpretation and creative context into AI-driven services, one of many factors attracting OpenAI’s interest in South Korea’s AI landscape.

Before receiving strategic investment from Crit Ventures USA, Artue had already stood out as the only startup on OpenAI Korea’s partner list at the office launch in September 2025. Appearing alongside LG, Kakao, and Krafton set it apart in the ecosystem and reinforces the significance of its role at DevDay.

The global patent filing reflects the ambition to position Artue’s technology as part of a wider ArtTech standard. While the long-term commercial impact will depend on adoption across platforms and galleries, the demonstration suggests growing interest in AI systems that personalize cultural experiences.

For investors and policymakers, the showcase indicates that cultural technology may become an emerging vertical within Korea’s AI ecosystem, linked to creativity, user behavior, and content-driven industries.

Where Korea’s Cultural AI Sector May Be Heading Next

Artue’s DevDay appearance illustrates how Korean startups are expanding AI adoption into emotional and cultural domains. The demonstration connected art discovery, recommendation, and artist-driven content inside a single conversational interface. This direction may influence how AI systems are designed for museums, cultural institutions, creative platforms, and consumer experiences.

Korea’s interest in emotional-context AI aligns with broader global questions about how generative systems can interpret intention and meaning. As cultural tech gains visibility, the next stage will involve validating business models, partnership structures, and interoperability with global platforms.

Artue’s work shows that Korean startups are exploring this frontier early, contributing to how future AI-powered cultural experiences may evolve across Asia and other markets.

– Stay Ahead in Korea’s Startup Scene –
Get real-time insights, funding updates, and policy shifts shaping Korea’s innovation ecosystem.
➡️ Follow KoreaTechDesk on LinkedIn, X (Twitter), Threads, Bluesky, Telegram, Facebook, and WhatsApp Channel.