Designing Learning That Feels Like Play with Shangyup Kim and Jangwoo Bae of ZEP QUIZ

Feb 2, 2026

Shangyup Kim, CEO of ZEP QUIZ, builds metaverse + AI learning worlds to motivate students. Jangwoo Bae, former teacher and school administrator, bridges classroom needs and product design. They discuss multiplayer mechanics for engagement. They cover balancing fun with pedagogy, scaling across markets, teacher workflows, safety and localization, and where AI can personalize quiz-based learning.

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INSIGHT

Metaverse Is A Format, Not A Fix

Shangyup argues the metaverse is a format, not a solution by itself, and must pair with real industry problems.
He found education to be the most fitting industry to apply metaverse mechanics effectively.

ANECDOTE

Education Chose ZEP QUIZ

ZEP QUIZ became an education product after a teacher used their virtual office tool to create a room-escape math quiz that went viral.
That viral classroom use revealed education-fit and shifted the company's mission to make learning feel like play.

INSIGHT

More Users Means More Responsibility

Massive community platforms require extra responsibility because young users absorb and mirror what they see.
Shangyup learned from ZEPETO that designers must bias product choices toward safety and positive influence.

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Shangyup Kim is the CEO of ZEP QUIZ, the metaverse-based gamified K-12 learning platform. Built AI-driven tools that help teachers motivate students at scale and is expanding across Asia and the U.S. As a former ZEPETO leader, focusing on gamification, futuristic change, and education. Formerly built two Series B companies.

Jangwoo Bae is the business developer of ZEP QUIZ, a former English teacher and school administrator in Thailand during COVID-19. Recognized the need for educational tools that extend beyond traditional classrooms and the urgent necessity for digital transformation in schools, while preserving the fundamental values of learning.

💡 5 Things You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why multiplayer mechanics drive deeper engagement than traditional quizzes
How ZEP QUIZ balances fun and pedagogy in classroom design
What teachers actually look for in game-based assessment tools
Lessons from scaling an edtech product across different markets
How AI could support real-time feedback and personalization in quiz-based learning

✨ Episode Highlights
[00:03:10] Why learning tools should feel social, not solitary
[00:08:45] The design choices behind ZEP QUIZ’s multiplayer experience
[00:15:30] What engagement really means from a teacher’s perspective
[00:22:10] Scaling ZEP QUIZ globally and adapting to classroom realities
[00:29:40] Shangyup and Jangwoo on where AI fits into game-based learning

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