[Meet the Team Behind ZEP QUIZ] ③ Using the Language of Games to Bring Classroom Fun

This interview series features the stories of ZEP QUIZ team members who have been with the service from the beginning.

The Secret to Fun Quizzes

How are fun quiz features made? Let’s hear from Euncheol and Woohyuk, the content developers behind ZEP QUIZ’s game-changing features like Team Battle and Round Matches.

Continue reading to find out how these two worked to create quiz maps that are fun for students and easy for teachers to use.

The People Who Breathe Life Into ZEP QUIZ

Q: Hello, Woohyuk and Euncheol. Could you briefly introduce yourselves?

(Woohyuk) I’m Choi Woohyuk, a content developer working on the Creative Team at ZEP. I mainly work on new map templates, modes, and features for ZEP QUIZ. I collaborate with map designers on concepts and production, and implement various features.

(Euncheol) Hello, I’m Sim Euncheol, a content developer at ZEP QUIZ. I take maps designed by the art team and turn them into interactive, usable quiz content. Using ZEP Script, I implement logic for user movement, interaction, effects, and scoring. I work closely with planners, designers, and artists to create content that balances education and fun.

Q: How did you start working with ZEP Script?

(Euncheol) I’ve always been interested in the metaverse. When I heard about ZEP launching in Korea, I joined the community.

After hearing about ZEP Script, I tried making a simple ‘Five in a row’ (Omok) game as a side project. That led me to join the team, and I’ve been developing features with ZEP Script ever since.

(Woohyuk) I started learning ZEP Script on my own after joining the community. Although I was new to coding, I gradually became immersed by exchanging questions in the community and experimenting with various features. Now, as a content developer, I build a wide range of features.

Bringing Quizzes to Life

Q: How are ZEP QUIZ features developed?

(Woohyuk) ZEP QUIZ is built on the ZEP metaverse platform. We use ZEP Script, a custom JavaScript-based language to create interactive elements and features.

ZEP Script is based on JavaScript which allows you to place objects in virtual spaces and control a character’s appearance. Its structure isn’t difficult, so even beginners can get started easily.

(Euncheol) For example, when a user approaches a question object and it pops up automatically, or when a correct answer triggers sound and effects, these elements are all powered by ZEP Script.

Q: What are interactive elements?

(Euncheol) They’re parts of the game or learning content that users can control or respond to. For example, pressing a button to answer a quiz or moving a character around the map to find the correct answer are both considered interactive actions. These features take learning from passive viewing and encourage active participation.

(Woohyuk) In ZEP QUIZ, interactive elements include concept-themed quiz items, boosters and obstacles that affect your speed, automatic doors that open as you approach, and trees that grow once all the questions are solved.

Thoughts on Creating an Immersive Classroom Experience

Q: What do you focus on when developing classroom-friendly features?

(Woohyuk) When creating new features, my main focus is on designing a natural and engaging flow that encourages students to participate and keeps them engaged.

I think ZEP QUIZ’s greatest strength is the element of fun. But for an experience to truly be enjoyable, users first need to feel comfortable and immersed in the environment.

So when I develop features, I try to use interactive elements to make the virtual space feel alive. I believe that when the experience is designed this way, it encourages students to participate actively and supports natural, self-directed learning.

(Euncheol) I focus most on intuitive controls. Even elementary school students should be able to use them without any explanation. That’s why I focus on creating simple and clear functions that work without complex controls.

In educational settings especially, mobile devices like tablets are used frequently, so I put a lot of thought into input methods to ensure they function naturally and without errors on touchscreens. With every feature I create, I carefully consider how it might affect the classroom experience. I continuously test and refine it to make sure it’s practical and useful in real teaching environments.

Q: How were the Teacher-Favorite ‘Team Mode’ and ‘Round Mode’ Created?

(Euncheol) The idea for Team Mode first came up during one of our brainstorming meetings. We thought students might stay more focused and have more fun if they were split into teams and competed for points. Implementing features like team role displays, score distribution, and timing effects through the UI was challenging, but also a deeply meaningful experience.

After the initial launch, we got feedback like, “When the score gap gets too big, students lose motivation.” So we added features like ‘Bonus Time’ to give teams a chance to make a comeback and keep the excitement going until the end.

It’s been rewarding to see teachers recognize the benefits of the collaborative mode.

(Woohyuk) Although Round Battle wasn’t my idea originally, but it became my first major project after joining the team. Using the Team Mode structure that Euncheol had created, I implemented various features and got to participate in a large-scale development for the first time.

While there were many challenges and setbacks, I learned a lot and above all, seeing teachers actively use it in real classroom settings has been incredibly rewarding.

Q: Could you share the most challenging moment you’ve had while developing ZEP Quiz Features?

(Woohyuk) I always find the feature I’m working on at the moment to be the most challenging. Right now, I’m developing a “dialogue system” to enhance the storytelling elements of ZEP QUIZ. The goal is to let students communicate with NPCs so they can understand the context surrounding the problems, both before and after solving them, and stay motivated.

Depending on how students answer, characters might cheer them on or offer hints, and with immersive effects added in, ZEP QUIZ will feel more like a story-driven experience.

Since the system involves processing a large volume of dialogue data, supporting multiple languages, connecting with existing features, and planning for future scalability, it’s been quite technically complex. It's still a work in progress, but I’m doing my best to make it a feature that enhances immersion and engagement in ZEP QUIZ.

(Euncheol) I would have to pick the Monkey’s Adventure map. Normally, ZEP QUIZ uses a top-down view where you can move in all directions, but this map was different, we tried building it as a side-scrolling map with only left and right movement. The default system wasn’t originally designed to support that, so we had to find ways to block vertical movement and work around other limitations. We also added new mechanics like obstacle collisions and rope climbing, which is an entirely different approach compared to typical quiz features, and involved a lot of internal customization.

In the end, students got to enjoy something that felt more like a game while solving quizzes, and for me, it was one of the toughest but most rewarding projects—both in terms of design and development.

Q: What is your favorite map or feature?

(Woohyuk) I feel most attached to the Round Mode released this past April, and its first map, The Ultimate Farmer. During the two to three months of development, we went through multiple rounds of internal testing and made many adjustments to arrive at the final version.

Personally, this was a project where I spent a lot of time thinking about how to balance gameplay elements with educational flow. The goal wasn’t just to make something fun, but to make sure it could integrate naturally into the classroom, which proved quite challenging.

Looking back, there were many missteps and frustrations along the way. In fact, I’d even say it became a love–hate relationship at times. Still, seeing so many teachers actively using it in class has made it all the more rewarding. We recently completed the first set of updates to Round Mode, and moving forward, we plan to continue improving it gradually based on teacher feedback.

(Euncheol) While I feel attached to all the maps and features, the ones where we experimented with approaches different from our usual development process are particularly memorable.

For example, the Dungeon Map, where players gradually equip armor and weapons with each correct answer until they transform into a golden warrior, and the Rooftop Party Map, where lights turn on and the space changes as questions are solved, were both designed to visually reward correct answers and enhance the sense of achievement.

There were also technically challenging maps like Monkey’s Adventure, which required us to implement side-scrolling movement—something the ZEP platform didn’t originally support—and Thai Railway Market, where a train passes through at timed intervals, forcing players to dodge and adding tension through interactive gameplay.

Each of these memorable maps involved not just technical experimentation, but also thoughtful design aimed at increasing learning immersion. That’s probably why I feel especially attached to them.

Q: Are there any features or systems you would like to build in the future?

(Woohyuk) I’d like to create a new mode where cooperation is the key element. Rather than coming up with ideas on my own, I often find that they take shape through conversations with the team. We frequently hear from teachers that students enjoy the collaborative process in class, and Maeum has long been passionate about developing a co-op mode, so I’m eager to bring that vision to life as well.

For example, I imagine a setup where students solve problems to fend off waves of monsters or team up to attack and defeat a boss monster. Since students today are familiar with the logic of games, I believe this kind of format would naturally draw them in and create a fun, engaging learning experience.

(Euncheol) I’d like to develop a feature that lets students retry only the questions they got wrong. Currently, if you want to redo a quiz, you have to start over from the beginning, but if students could just focus on the questions they missed, I think it would significantly improve learning efficiency.

For example, after completing the quiz, a special “Mistake Review Map” could open compiling only the missed questions, or the map could highlight areas where students can go back and retry the problems they missed. This kind of structure would let students review the problems they struggled with and when they manage to solve those questions the second time around, it could give them a real sense of accomplishment and confidence, making the learning process more enjoyable overall.

Shaping ZEP QUIZ Together

Q: Have you received feedback from a teacher or student that really stuck with you?

(Woohyuk) As a graduate of a college of education, I have many teachers among my acquaintances. It’s always deeply rewarding to hear that they’re using ZEP or ZEP QUIZ in their classes. Hearing how students are responding to it also motivates me to keep working on creating even more fun and useful content.

(Euncheol) Although I haven’t had the chance to meet teachers in person, some of the feedback we've received from them has really stayed with me. One teacher said, “Thanks to ZEP QUIZ, I was touched to see students naturally getting involved in class and working together to solve problems.” I was struck by how the quiz could go beyond being just an assessment tool, it became a medium for collaboration and communication among students.

Another teacher shared, “My students treat the quiz like a game, so even when I assign it as homework, they’re happy to do it.” That comment gave me the confidence that we’re headed in the right direction. Each and every voice from the classroom gives us motivation and guidance as we design and improve new features.

Q: What’s your hope for the future of ZEP QUIZ?

(Euncheol) I hope ZEP QUIZ can become more than just a learning tool, a platform where students can learn through playing, and teachers enjoy the teaching experience too. We're consistently thinking about how to expand beyond quizzes to include other features, like flashcards.

(Woohyuk) I have two main hopes for the future of ZEP QUIZ.

First, I hope it becomes a service that truly supports teachers. During my student teaching experience last year I gained a deeper understanding of just how busy educators are, even in that short time. I saw firsthand how busy and overworked many teachers are. I’d love for ZEP QUIZ to grow into a tool that helps teachers prepare lessons more easily and efficiently.

Second, I hope it can evolve into a service that benefits students from underserved communities. By ensuring smooth performance on lower-end devices and providing multilingual, multicultural content, I hope it can play a part in reducing barriers to education.

Q: Any final words you’d like to share with the teachers and users who’ve supported ZEP QUIZ?

(Euncheol) Thank you so much for all the interest and support you’ve shown us. Your feedback continues to guide us in a better direction. We’ll keep doing our best to provide learning experiences that are both fun and meaningful. Together, we’re creating ZEP QUIZ, please keep cheering us on!

(Woohyuk) At our company, we have a channel where customer inquiries are automatically logged. Every now and then, I come across messages that seem like they were written by students using ZEP QUIZ during class.

Whenever I see those, it reminds me: “We need to listen more, talk more, and build better.” We’ll keep working hard to create great content and features so that ZEP QUIZ can continue to be a valuable tool for both teachers and students. Thank you for loving ZEP QUIZ!