[Report] AI Integrated into Suwon KT Wiz Park... From Entry to Cheering and Announcing in a Snap

AI Services Everywhere: Facial Recognition and Cheer Pool
'AI Voice' Fills the Announcer’s Absence

"The sound produced by artificial intelligence (AI) was exactly like my own voice. It made me feel glad I returned to work quickly." (Sumi Park, in-house announcer at Suwon KT Wiz Park)

Sumi Park, the in-stadium announcer at Suwon KT Wiz Park, is sharing her thoughts on the AI voice that was utilized during her two-month leave of absence on the 3rd. Photo by Gyojo Noh

On September 3, fans started gathering at KT Wiz Park about two hours before the game began. It was a day when KT, close to reclaiming the top spot, and Hanwha, aiming to break an eight-game losing streak, were expected to face off in a heated match.

On that day, announcer Sumi Park skillfully handled the opening, player introductions, and game proceedings. What was surprising was that her voice was mixed with one created by AI. Even amid the enthusiastic atmosphere combined with the cheers of fans, there was no noticeable difference.

Perhaps because of this, Park said she felt a sense of crisis upon returning to work just two months after childbirth. She shared, "At first, I thought it was fortunate that there was no need to find a replacement, but when I actually heard it, it was so similar to my voice that I wondered if it was a recording. Some players even said they didn't know I was away." She added, "I thought it would be hard to imitate my shouting style during player introductions, but even that was close," repeatedly expressing her amazement at KT's AI technology.

This was the result of KT training its proprietary AI voice synthesis technology, 'KT TTS 2.0,' using Park's actual voice. The development took one month. Jae Han Park, Head of the Sound AI Team at KT Gen AI Lab, explained, "With about ten minutes of recorded audio, we can naturally simulate the tone, intonation, and speaking style. By entering any desired phrase, the AI voice is instantly generated." However, he noted that there are still challenges for AI in real-time communication with fans during games. Park stated, "KT AI is not intended to replace staff but to serve in a supporting role. We plan to use this technology when announcer Park goes on leave or is unwell and cannot work."

On the 3rd, an onsite employee at Suwon KT Wiz Park demonstrated the AI facial recognition service. Photo by Gyojo Noh

This was not the only example of AI being utilized at KT Wiz Park. When entering the stadium, the "AI facial recognition service" was enhancing convenience. This service, currently running as a pilot program for 500 season ticket holders, allows entrance simply through facial authentication, eliminating the need to search for mobile tickets or QR codes. This is possible because users have provided consent and registered their photos in advance. Dongjae Lee, Head of KT's Sports Marketing at the Brand Department, commented, "It not only speeds up entry but also helps to filter out scalpers and misuse. We plan to strictly enforce security and expand the scope of application in the future."

Fans, often wearing uniforms marked with their favorite players, also made use of the "AI cheer pool service" before entering the venue. KT had already showcased this technology at the "2026 FIFA North and Central America World Cup." By inputting a player's name or a cheering phrase, AI automatically generates cheering placards in a variety of designs. Fans can further personalize them by simply adding emoticons as they would decorate sticker photos. The generated cheer pool messages are then displayed on the large scoreboard during the game, matched to participating players and the mood of the stadium. That day, a cheering placard reading "Came to see Choi Wonjun," made by a journalist, was shown on the screen.

Lee added, "Even visiting fans are freely using the AI cheer pool service. To accommodate the increasing number of international visitors, we are also providing AI real-time translation on the scoreboard." He continued, "We chose to introduce AI services first at the ballpark, where many fans gather voluntarily. We plan to implement them in other KT-affiliated sports, such as basketball, as well."

On the 3rd, at the Suwon KT Wiz Park game, when player Choi Wonjun took the mound, a phrase created by the AI cheer pool service was displayed on the scoreboard. Photo by No Kyungjo

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.