[New York = E-Daily Seong Joowon Correspondent] A Frenchman I met for the first time spoke to me in French. A Korean translation came through the speakers in my glasses. Even without knowing French, I was able to understand what he was saying and have a conversation with him. What surprised me even more after trying them on was how comfortable they were. Even after wearing them for nearly an hour, they felt just as comfortable as my regular glasses.

On the 9th (local time), I tried on the “ SamsungElectronics(005930),” a collaboration between Gentle Monster, Samsung Electronics, and Google, on Wall Street in New York City. At the event venue, floating facial sculptures and a giant blue monster named “Blue Monster” caught my eye. There was also a space where visitors could put on the glasses to examine unfamiliar objects or converse with people speaking different languages.
The most surprising aspect was how comfortable they were to wear. I wear glasses regularly. Even though the product is equipped with a camera and a speaker, I actually forgot I was wearing AI glasses during the experience.
No display appears on the lenses. By swiping along the frame with your finger, you can summon Google’s artificial intelligence (AI), “Gemini,” or activate real-time translation. Responses and translations are heard through the speakers.
While looking at a painting hanging on the exhibition hall wall, I asked Gemini for an explanation. Gemini replied that it was an engraving depicting the Colossus of Rhodes. It explained that the scene showed a giant statue standing with its legs spread wide at the entrance to the harbor, with ships passing beneath it.
I also took photos of the exhibits and people without taking out my phone. Even though the photos were taken indoors, the fur of the Blue Monster and the rough texture of the ceiling were captured relatively clearly.
The Korean interpretation sounded natural, but it felt like it took about three seconds from the time the speaker finished speaking until the interpretation was heard. To hear the interpretation of what the person next to me was saying, I had to turn my head and look at them. There were moments when it was difficult to concentrate on the conversation as I tried to keep up with both the speaker’s words and the Korean translation that followed. While I could forget that I was wearing glasses, it was hard to forget that I was listening to an interpretation.

On the 10th (local time), the day after the press preview, Gentle Monster invited figures from the fashion and film industries to the same venue to showcase its Intelligent Eyewear. Attendees included actor Joaquin Phoenix and models Alex Consani, Anok Yai, Amelia Gray, and Paloma Elsesser.
Phoenix also appeared in the product’s campaign video alongside film director Jonathan Glazer. Gentle Monster carried over the surrealistic styling used in the campaign video to its New York pop-up. The same space will be open to the general public from the 13th to the 23rd of this month.
According to Gentle Monster, the product weighs approximately 41g. It offers up to 9 hours of battery life on a single charge and up to 72 hours when used with the charging case. It is compatible with select Android and iOS smartphones, including Samsung Galaxy models. The product will be released in a total of 16 variations, combining color and lens options with two eyeglass frames and four sunglass frames. The lightweight design and diverse frame-and-lens combinations demonstrate that the product is designed for everyday use, just like regular glasses.
Pre-orders begin on November 12. The official launch date in South Korea and the U.S. is December 10. The domestic retail price, including VAT, ranges from 650,000 to 700,000 won depending on the model.