Cutting-edge technologies that are leading Industry 4.0 are incrementally changing our lives on a daily basis, and at the center of this transition lies semiconductors, a product of SK hynix’s technological prowess. SK hynix opened an exhibition hall under the theme of We Do Technology_T.E.C.H at the Semiconductor Exhibition (SEDEX) 2022 to demonstrate a world that semiconductors will transform.
In addition to advanced technologies such as next-generation intelligent semiconductors, Metaverse experience booths related to semiconductor departments at Korea University, Hanyang University, and Sogang University, for talent promotion are also being operated. Furthermore, SK hynix’s ESG strategy framework, PRISM, which lays out practices for ESG-oriented management, has been added to the exhibition to showcase core values pursued by the company through various concepts.
At the exhibition, SK hynix’s Newsroom team is able to encounter the vision of SK hynix, which pursues the sustainable growth of humankind, ranging from technological capabilities to greater social value creation.
SK hynix’s Memory Centric Universe continues to progress
On October 5th, SEDEX 2022, the largest semiconductor exhibition in Korea, opened at COEX in Seoul. SEDEX 2022 marked its 24th anniversary this year and is an exhibition where people can become more acquainted with the most recent semiconductor technology trends. SK hynix also opened an exhibition booth to introduce its wide array of technological achievements and future vision.
At this year’s exhibition, SK hynix is emphasizing the message of a Memory Centric Universe, where semiconductor memory serves as the center of our world. When one steps into the center of the exhibition hall, sculptures and kiosks stand to inform guests that memory semiconductors are the bedrock of familiar advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the virtual world (Metaverse), big data, and next-generation communication networks (6G). Semiconductor memory is already deeply enmeshed in everything that makes our lives convenient, and it is safe to expect that their importance will grow even greater in the future.
SK hynix’s President and co-CEO Kwak Noh-Jung, who attended the event as the president of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association (KSIA), emphasized the role and importance of future memory semiconductors with a keynote speech entitled, “Beyond the Limits of Memory Technology,” and he also visited multiple sites in the exhibition hall, including SK hynix’s Memory Centric Universe Zone.
Kwak Noh-Jung, President and co-CEO at SK hynix, is seen during a visit to the memory centric universe zone
We Do T.E.C.H.nology: state-of-the-art Technology, ESG, Communication, and Human Resources
SK hynix’s brand slogan and theme of the exhibition, We Do Technology, included the acronym TECH: T for Technology, E for ESG, C for Communication, and H for Human Resources, and embodied the four themes in the four major exhibition areas.
Sculptures showcase the evolution of DRAM and NAND Flash
At the center of the exhibition hall stands the exhibition booth, which received the most attention. The exhibition booth was designed to introduce SK hynix’s technological prowess and is a space that is drawing the interest of many visitors by simply telling stories about semiconductor products and technologies, the core competitiveness of SK hynix, in an experiential way. In particular, there are sculptures situated on opposite ends of the venue that showcase the evolution of SK hynix’s flagship products, DRAM and NAND, and it is interesting to see the current versus past storage capacities of DRAM and NAND being likened to the storage capacity of rice and the printing press.
View of SK hynix’s Platinum P41 SSD booth
In addition, NVMe (Non-Volatile Memory Express) SSDs with PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) 4th generation interfaces, which boast the highest specifications among SSDs (Solid State Drives) for general consumers, is another eye-catching exhibit. Here, visitors can enjoy arcade games linked to shooting and product events.
Crowd visiting Technology zone to experience various exhibits
In addition to next-generation memory technologies such as HBM (High Bandwidth Memory), PIM (Processing-In-Memory), CXL (Compute Express Link), and UFS (Universal Flash Storage), SK hynix’s CIS (CMOS Image Sensor) technology, which is almost 100 million pixels, or ultra-high pixel, can also be seen. The AI semiconductor SAPEON, which SK hynix introduced in collaboration with SK Telecom, has also attracted a great deal of intrigue.
ESG zone introducing SK hynix’s various sustainability management activities
At the exhibition, visitors are also introduced to PRISM, the ESG strategy framework developed by SK hynix. PRISM is a systematization of the direction and detailed goals of various socially responsible, ESG-related activities that are promoted by the company and contains the promise to radiate a positive influence in the environment, society, and governance to the world like a prism. In order to better inform external parties of the company’s efforts and authenticity towards ESG, the meaning and detailed goals of the five messages that PRISM is comprised of take up a large portion of the exhibition wall. Furthermore, visitors can witness various environmental management activities promoted by SK hynix, including RE100 (Renewable Energy 100, 100% renewable energy procurement), Net Zero (zero carbon emissions), biodiversity conservation, and water resource management.
Communication zone showcasing SK hynix’s visual media and goods
Another main attraction of the exhibition is the variety of visual media that has been produced by SK hynix to communicate with the outside world. SK hynix created a corporate brand video which depicts a semiconductor as the main character and web drama series to highlight “Tenacity” which is a core value of SK hynix employees, in an entertaining way. The company also developed a short-form ESG video that is popular among young people, adding diversity and trendiness. In addition to these video contents, various goods are being exhibited, including an Oxford block of the FAB (Fabrication Facility) model, a semiconductor production facility, which is given as a prize for a semiconductor scholarship contest. This exhibition is a space where visitors can get a glimpse of SK hynix’s efforts to better communicate to those who have difficulties in fully understanding semiconductors.
Human Resource zone showcasing the semiconductor department admission briefing via metaverse platform
The importance of nurturing future talents who will lead continuous technological development in the semiconductor industry, one of Korea’s key industries, cannot be overemphasized. To ensure early recruiting development, SK hynix is operating an employment-guaranteed contract with the semiconductor departments of Korea University, Sogang University, and Hanyang University to secure and nurture talent who will be responsible for the future of the company. In order to showcase these activities in a different way, SK hynix prepared a separate metaverse space, the Semiconductor Department Admission Briefing, using SK Telecom’s metaverse platform ifland that appeals to the IT sensibility of teenage visitors. This is attracting a number of visitors by introducing the admission guidelines, talents, and curriculum of each department.
Moreover, SK hynix has designed the exhibition as a space for visitors to more actively interact by installing an arcade game zone linked to various events and a quiz machine that pays out prizes when visitors answer a quiz related to semiconductors.
Visitors enjoying various quiz events and games at the SK hynix booth
The Memory Centric Universe, which suggests that memory semiconductors are currently at the center of the world and will maintain that position in the future, is more than just a prophecy. In fact, it is becoming a reality before our eyes. Under the We Do Technology slogan, SK hynix will continuously introduce semiconductor technologies that can inspire opportunities and inspiration in the future ICT industry “at the center of advanced technology” and the company is also unveiling its plan to create a better world based on such efforts, continuously creating social values. This year’s SEDEX 2022 is an important opportunity to predict the future that SK hynix is picturing via a wide range of technological achievements and a vision for sustainable growth.
