SK Telecom (SKT) called time on its once much-hyped metaverse platform Ifland, announcing it would terminate the service from 31 March 2025.

In a short notice, SKT outlined a refund process for those that had made purchases on the platform, while adding that the process for new sign-ups and in-app payments had been discontinued from Monday (16 December).

It added that the termination date may change depending on internal circumstances.

The company offered no reason for why it was canning Ifland in the notice, however the decision is a clear indication that it is embarking on a strategic shift away from the metaverse and towards AI.

Notably, SKT unveiled a new organisational structure around two years ago as part of a shuffle to help drive its AI ambitions. A company spokesperson also told Business Korea that it was now a “global AI company” and it aimed to concentrate its capabilities more on this area.

However, the decision marks a sharp comedown from its once ambitious metaverse goals. It launched Ifland in 2020, and swiftly declared plans to make it a leading service in the global metaverse space. It launched the platform in 49 international markets in 2022, forging distribution and content deals with local partners in several countries.