Metawars, technology to transform virtual-real into real-physical: Zeptoo's case study as an avatar platform promoting Western lifestyle

Metaverse, as an embodied space with an industrial nature, is the result of the convergence of industry and imagination, and it allows users to have a three-dimensional and immersive presence. Games are the pioneers of the metaverse and by combining simulation technologies and Intimate technologies, they form virtual worlds. Zepeto is the largest Metaverse platform in South Korea and Asia with users from all over the world. With the increasing popularity of Korean wave products such as K-pop, K-drama and K-pop dance among Iranian teenagers, Zepeto has become a popular and attractive game among them. In this exploratory article, two issues have been addressed. First, in the framework of the technology acceptance model, the focus is on the user experience in Zepto and the study of the determining factors that affect the willingness of Iranian users to play and work in Zepto. Second, based on the content format that Zepto has, what harm can it bring to the Iranian user. The target population in this research was all Iranian users of Zepeto, and using the Simple Random Sampling method, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 40 Zepeto users. The findings of this research show that Zepeto is a popularizer of the western lifestyle in the field of entertainment and based on having the capacity to shape the taste and attitude and behavior of Iranian users, it provides a window for cultivating a non-Islamic lifestyle.