Mother Reunites with Her Deceased Daughter in VR

In the viral documentary, “I Met You,” filmmakers from South Korea capture the experience of a mother reuniting with her deceased daughter in virtual reality. This VR experience is intended to help this grief-stricken mother obtain closure after the death of her seven-year-old child. The immense emotional power of such an experience is palpable to anyone who watches the video all the way through.

This application of virtual reality has an unparalleled potential for healing and getting unstuck from powerful emotional states such as grief. Through the use of virtual embodiment, the brain thinks it is having a real interaction. This makes it possible to experience a resolution that appears out of reach in the “real world.” Although it took 8 months to develop for this single user, experiences like this may become more accessible in the future.

Regardless of the healing potential, some people feel uneasy about this technological potential. Does this use case take it too far? How do you feel about this new avenue for healing from grief? If you had the chance to try it, who would you want to speak to?

Read more about the experience in this Futurism article by Kristin Houser.