[Meet the Team Behind ZEP QUIZ] ② Designing Immersive Learning from a Student’s Perspective

Meet the Team Behind ZEP QUIZ part 2: How do we create learning spaces where students are truly engaged? Hear from the map designer behind ZEP QUIZ and discover the full process of crafting quiz maps that captivate and educate.
Jun 04, 2025
[Meet the Team Behind ZEP QUIZ] ② Designing Immersive Learning from a Student’s Perspective

In this series, ‘The People Behind ZEP QUIZ’ interviews, we’re sharing the stories of ZEP QUIZ team members who have been with us from the very beginning.

“Education and entertainment; these are what we consider when creating the quiz maps.”

In this installment, we talk to our map designers, Maeum and Dajeong, who design spaces that motivate children’s learning and create quiz maps that inspire imagination.

From planning from the perspective of children to designing the pixel art emotions and educational flow. Get to know their story of balancing education and fun, and bringing the classroom to life.

The Designers Behind ZEP QUIZ

Q. Hello, Dajeong and Maeum. Could you give us a brief introduction about yourselves?

ZEP QUIZ Map Designers

(Dajeong) “Hello, I’m Dajeong Kim, ZEP Creative’s Quiz Map Creator and Producer. I design the overall background of quiz maps, object design, and the interactive elements necessary for quiz progression. For users to enjoy the space intuitively and to be able to immerse themselves in it is my main task.”

(Maeum) “Hello, I’m Maeum, ZEP Creative’s Quiz Map Creator and Producer, and I work together with Dajeong. I mainly work on ZEP QUIZ’s educational content, planning maps that users can enjoy and immerse themselves in, and actualizing maps with pixel art.”

Q. How did you get involved in creating ZEP QUIZ maps?

(Maeum) “Growing up, I played retro games like Game Boy, so I became naturally familiar with dot graphics. Those experiences drew me to the appeal of minimalist pixel art, which emphasizes minimal expression over complex details.

I think pixel art has a set of word count and rhyme scheme that can be expressed like a poem. You have to be creative within limited parameters, but the simplicity and depth of expression are still very appealing.

The pixel art projects were just a hobby of mine, but they led me to work in ZEP from a map contest that was organized by ZEP. After the ZEP QUIZ service was launched, I became a full-time ZEP QUIZ map developer.”

(Dajeong) “I’ve been in the game industry for quite some time as an original art creator. With the ZEP QUIZ service starting, I naturally took on the task of creating map backgrounds. At first, I mainly worked in original art creation, but I was influenced by Maeum’s pixel art style and decided to try my hand at it.

The recently released ‘Shadow Cage’ map is the first map I’ve created using mainly pixel art style. I’m having a lot of fun with the new art style, and I find the creativity that comes from the limited expressiveness of pixel art fascinating.”

One map at a time

Q. How do you usually get ideas for your maps?

ZEP QUIZ Temple Explore Map Sketch

(Maeum) “When designing a map, there are two things that I consider: a topic that students will find engaging, and a background that educators can use in class.

How I balance these two factors determines the ‘personality’ of the map. For example, when the emphasis is on fun, I create adventurous and playful environments like the monkey map or the dungeon maps. If the emphasis is on learning, then I create more calm environments like the old exam rooms and libraries.

Once a basic concept is set, I think about the features and visuals one by one to insert into the map, and work my way up from there.”

(Dajeong) “The first question we ask ourselves ‘What kind of space would make solving the quiz fun?’ It can be an everyday scene, or an impression from a movie or game that we reinterpret into ZEP style. Sometimes the inspirations come just before I turn in, or right after I wake up.

After organizing the ideas, I sketch out the structure of the map to fit the theme and design the flow of the quiz. From there, I design the artwork and any necessary effects, and iterate and refine as I go.”

“It sounds like you have to collaborate a lot with people in other roles to create quiz maps.”

Q. “I'm curious about the collaborative process of creating a map.”

(Maeum) “For one map to be completed, we need to collaborate with planners, designers, developers, and QA(quality assurance).

Initially, the overall direction and map concept, as well as the required features, need to be organized, and we start developing the space based on those set as default. Then I work with the development team to implement interactivity and quiz features, and QA to make sure there are no issues during real-time play. Lastly, we do a company-wide testing to gather feedback, and from it, we make the final polish.

This is just a brief overview, since we always receive help from people in different roles. For instance, Nayoung, our interviewer, communicates with educators and gives us ideas for maps.”

Q. What is the most challenging moment in planning and creating a map?

ZEP QUIZ Angel vs. Devil Map Sketch

(Dajeong) “The most difficult part of the process is designing the route in the planning stage.

In order to input 20 questions, the placement and the path of the avatars following the map concept. During the map sketching stage, to have it flow like a story, I often revise and redesign the structure several times until it does.”

Balancing Education and Fun

Q. “Since you’ve been involved in creating educational content with ZEP QUIZ, I’m guessing your process has changed.”

(Dajeong) “There isn’t much of a difference in the workflow process, but the purpose and perspective of using the maps have shifted to be more education-centered.

Whereas before, the maps were for a variety of purposes such as study groups, online events, games and etc. Now it is a clear goal in learning, so the content has to be a natural place for users to immerse themselves through the atmosphere of the map and the user interaction as the more important focus.”

Q. “What do you think about when creating maps with an educational purpose?”

(Dajeong)Fun and education are the two factors to flow organically is what I’m most concerned with.

Rather than just a list of questions to solve, the space where the user solves these questions needs to feel like a scene from a story and should engage the users to naturally learn in an immersive flow.

It’s not just the quiz topic but the atmosphere of the map, flow, and presentation of the maps that influence the overall experience, so we always design with the question, ‘How can we make learning less boring?’ Because when you’re enjoying yourself while working or studying, it always brings out the best results. So in my opinion, making any subject fun is really important.”

(Maeum) “I also believe that fun and education are the two most important factors.

If learning is the only focus, it can be uninteresting. Conversely, if you focus only on fun, then it can blur the line of what it’s supposed to be for. So I don’t just want to make it fun, I design it so that the whole process of taking the quiz and reaching the final destination is a challenge and an accomplishment.

So the whole process of solving the quiz should feel like a challenge and an accomplishment. Personally, I put fun ahead of the two. The user should feel interested because it naturally leads to learning.

To be honest, this philosophy comes from my personal experience. As a kid, I couldn’t pay attention in school, and only engaged in what I was able to feel interested in. For example, when I was obsessed with Pokémon, without the need of anyone telling me to, I was able to remember all the names, skills, and traits of the Pokémon.

So I’m always in this mindset - if learning is really fun, kids will naturally be engaged and learn on their own.”

Q. “Of all the maps you've worked on, which one is your favorite?”

ZEP QUIZ Ocean Serires

(Maeum) “For me, it has to be the forest map and the ocean series.

The forest map is the most memorable because it was the first ZEP QUIZ map I made, and the one that set the framework for ZEP QUIZ.

While the ocean series was the first one created with the framework of ‘How we can make it more interesting for children?’ and ‘What kind of structure can make quizzes more rewarding?’ so that’s why it’s memorable. It was our first attempt at designing a natural sense of accomplishment through quizzes, and we received a lot of positive feedback from teachers, so it was the basis for many of the maps we've released.”

ZEP QUIZ Shadow Cage Map

(Dajeong) “From all the maps I’ve worked on up until now has their own meaning and sentiments for me, but it’s the most recent map, ‘Shadow Cage’ that I’m most attached to.

I strive to always make each map to be better than the last, so the latest creation was the most thought out as well as more effort put in. In particular, this map was designed with more thought into the user experience, from the scenery, movement, and atmosphere, and I created the BGM myself (although I used AI to create it).

Because the map was primarily pixel art style, it was a major challenge. I’ve made dots art for quiz question objects before, sure, but this was definitely a first to make a map entirely out of pixel art so it was a new endeavor and challenge for me.

I wish for this to be the best one’ is what I think every time I’m going in, but the trial and error as well as the refinement along the way was a big learning curve for me.”

Q. “Are there any themes you're planning or would like to try?”

(Maeum) “There are so many themes and concepts that I want to take a stab at, but if I were to make the attempt, I feel like this year will not be enough. I have a lot of ideas, including maps that utilize spatial settings such as the sky, underwater, and desert. A co-op that encourages everyone to work together. Maps that make you keep going until the end, structured to incentivize you to keep going.

Aside from simply solving the quiz, it should be fun to play together, an unpredictable twist, and things that keep you engaged. These are the things we’re constantly thinking about.”

(Dajeong) “I want to try my hands at creating a vibrant map that utilizes the new scripting feature. Maybe some experiments with elements that were previously too difficult to implement with the new features. Although my colleague Euncheol does get frustrated with me whenever I ask questions like ‘Can I do it this way?’

I had some ideas for map structures that were hard to implement back then due to technical difficulties, which are now possible with the new features available that I would like to try again. Personally, there are a few themes that I would like to try out, but because the process would take too long, I’m unable to start on them just yet because I can’t fit them into the update cycle. But I keep in mind, and am hopeful that we will be able to start on time.”

For a fun learning experience

Q. “Do you have any memorable reviews or feedback that you'd like to share?

(Maeum) “There is so much feedback and testimony that we’ve received, but among them I’d say it’s the one about students who were previously disinterested in learning that became actively involved in learning through the quizzes, and even asked if they could continue them back at home.

This one testimonial really convinced me that ZEP QUIZ could be the first time someone felt like learning was fun.”

(Dajeong) “Stories like ‘My kids were excited to learn’ or ‘The quiz really helped me focus in class’ are a great source of strength for me. I was convinced that learning, like playing a game, is ZEP QUIZ’s strength. As Junmo said, how many services would receive handwritten letters from children? Each of these experiences is really special to me

The most memorable one was when my daughter told me that she used ZEP QUIZ at her school. The fact that it wasn’t ‘just someone’ that was using it, but someone very dear to me who was experiencing the service was so touching. This was the best feedback I could receive personally.”

Q. “What direction do you hope to see ZEP QUIZ grow in the future?”

(Maeum) “That ZEP QUIZ will go beyond the quiz space and become a learning platform that students and educators can communicate and grow together.

In the long run, I’d like to see us leverage AI and data analytics to provide more tailored quizzes, and hope for ZEP QUIZ to be a platform for educators to more easily create and share the content they’ve made for a richer experience.

However, more than anything, it is for ZEP QUIZ to be a fun learning experience. We should never lose sight of that, and moving forward, for it to be a platform where fun and learning go hand in hand.”

(Dajeong) “For ZEP QUIZ to naturally take its place in school environments as a natural learning tool. I think it will be much more useful in the field of education if it offers more content and features, such as a pet system and personalized feedback using AI, and has more flexibility to create maps for educational purposes.

Personally, I’m looking forward to the day when ZEP QUIZ will become a natural tool in the public education curriculum. For it to be used in school classes as an obvious choice, for students to know it with familiarity, and something that motivates them. I’d like to see the experience of learning while having fun become more widely accepted in education.”

Q. “Lastly, anything you’d like to say to the educators and students who love ZEP QUIZ?”

(Maeum) “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for loving ZEP QUIZ to all the educators and students. For all the valuable feedback that took us in a better direction. We hope that through ZEP QUIZ, your classes are a little more fun and energetic. We look forward to making it a fun place to learn together!

(Dajeong) “I’m both a person who made this service as well as a user, and a parent of two children. Perhaps that is why I feel more responsible, and why whenever I see children enjoying themselves when learning, I hear myself saying, ‘I really want to do the best job’. I will continue to think and work hard to give back with more fun and meaningful maps. Thank you!”

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