Based KPOP & Fandom
bring KPOP & Fandom onchain
The problem Based KPOP & Fandom solves
Our project is BASED KPOP/Fandom, first product is BASED KPOP ID - where fans could show their fandom attributes and socialize in the community.
For full analysis please see our demo video!!
The demo video includes our product concepts and industrial observation, not only a UI showcase.
It's a 10-minute video that encapsulates our 10 years of insights as KPOP fans and artists, into the KPOP fan community.
Time Stamps In The Video
00:00
Why is KPOP/Fandom suitable for BASE ecosystem
01:14
Who are we and our vision: By fans, for fans, we GET BASED globally.
02:10
The challenge we're facing - bring KPOP & derivative works onchain & use fashion items to solve the social anxiety of introverted fans
03:52
PMF and use case
-
Solid IRL social cases in KPOP concerts - friendly for the introverts
-
Good design matters, design represents identity - Design is the passport to get KPOP community onchain
-
Future of product - the KPOP POPMART(like Labubu) on BASE
08:16 UI and function showcase
11:10 Previous tryout before this - AIGC KPOP dance generator for fans
Main Challenges in the Status Quo
1. On creator community & tokenizng fan-art
KPOP fandom is one of the most vibrant creator communities & suitable onchain targeted audience. There is the potential to unite fans globally and to tokenize their fan-art creation.
In the Status Quo, we see fans DIY their work on paper, but it doesn’t reflect the style consistently and can’t be turned into on-chain collectibles, which is a pity.
Reasoning
Within the fandoms, you'll find tons of creators making fan edits, artists drawing fan art, beatmakers flipping tracks in their bedrooms, and even crafty folks making unofficial merch that outshines the official ones.
This is more than entertainment, it's like a mental comfort zone. It is our spiritual refuge for countless souls.
Additionally, in our research, we also interviewed KPOP fans in the West, such as UK, who envy the beautiful cards from Asia. They find it hard to buy merchandise in their country and spend a lot on overseas shipping. Onchain could solve this.
Impact
In 2023, the estimated overseas sales of K-pop amounted to 1.24 trillion won ($893 million), exceeding 1 trillion won for the first time, according to the government-run organization's report on Wednesday. Compared to 2023, K-pop's overseas sales increased by 34.3 percent, or 315.9 billion won in 2024. (https://www.koreaherald.com/article/3439905)
The KPOP fandom possesses significant purchasing power while being vibrant and creative. We want to be pioneers in bringing KPOP and fandom to BASE.
2. on the trend of KPOP fans socializing through fashion items (especially popular in Asian cities like Tokyo/Seoul//Shanghai/Hong Kong, etc)
In the fandoms, the primary way to socialize with people by using accessories, decorations, and stylish icons as a radar and filter to attract like-minded people.
However, it is currently limited to offline interactions like concerts in specific cities, and we want to promote it among international fans on BASE.
Reasoning
KPOP group we chase becomes our personality starter pack. Fans want to be seen through what we buy, what we cherish, and who we fall for.
We want to express ourselves, show our MBTIs, zodiac signs, and our biased idols. The fashion items carry our personality, and help us quickly identify who will be potential friends.
What’s even more exciting than chasing the idol, is bringing people with the same stan together. We share our lives, joys, and struggles, supporting each other through tough times. These amazing stories happened to us, and we want them to happen to more people.
Example
NewJeans had the Powerpuff girl & Takashi Murakami's iconic design, and if you hang their images on the bag, people could identify if you are a bunnies (NewJeans' fandom)
3. on at least half of the fans are introverts, helping introverts with profound emotional richness to be seen by the world and make friends globally
We want to meet new friends in a "shy", "not-disturbing" and "stylish" way.
These fashion items are extremely important to help them open up conversations with strangers.
Reasoning
KPOP fans are a very unique group. The understanding of what they need (different from the general public) is the key to building a solid project.
Many talented K-pop fans struggle to express themselves verbally. They are not as eloquent as some entrepreneurs we know.
When they feel bullied, marginalized, or not popular in real life, KPOP is the shelter, where lonely find family in fandoms, where misfits in IRL become queens and kings in our imaginative world.
Challenges I ran into
1. Web2 fans' acceptance towards crypto and AI affected by scandals and stereotypes
I must say that during our user interviews and product prep, we faced some challenges. Fans are interested in similar product consumption models, but stereotypes about crypto and AI pose difficulties.
For instance, past rug pull in crypto have created negative impressions, and fans in Japan and South Korea are particularly sensitive to incidents like the Nth Room case, criminals using AI & idol images for porn. This led to a negative view in some people's minds and needs time to wash away.
I am working to educate these fans on setting up wallets and engaging with onchain activities while highlighting the positive aspects.
Our goal is to reduce the perception of it as a 'tech product'.
We aim to create a UI that resonates with the fan community, offering a familiar and appealing interface and neglecting the negatives.
2. Time urgency & If only do one function, which one is the most needed function?
I have to say that time is a bit tight, and I want many other features, such as social squads for fans and cooler display effects.
However, after some reflection, I realized that with limited time, it’s better to focus on doing one most needed feature well.
If we could develop one high-frequency feature that fans need the most, what would it be?
We are very passionate about the community we serve and actively participate in their activities.
Through participating in all kinds of concerts and offline meetups, we found that especially for teenagers (yeah I spent lots of money on traveling and interviewing local fans) , expanding their social circles and getting to know their peers more effectively in a stylish and opinated way is a key focus for young people in Asia and around the world. This is the product direction for our first phase.
3. Designer Transition to Coding Path
As someone with a background in design and creative, I wasn't initially an engineer, but I'm gradually trying to code.
However, my current coding skills are still yet to improve to fully achieve the nuanced visual effect of the UI and graphic design on Figma.
Nonetheless, I am doing my best to overcome this challenge and seek advice from other engineers on Base, such as @Cryptobeijing, also shout out to him Chinese Base Community members who have been giving me thumbs up, such as @Juliethetako @wenlanbo @183aaros, the Base community is my power bank.
I am also looking for engineers who have a desire to explore and are passionate about the K-pop field. I believe that, rather than just having advanced skills, it is more important to be interested in consumption and entertainment, as well as having a desire to explore and innovate to do things that others haven't done before. This is the kind of teammate I am looking for, and I am still in the process of searching.
Why fit in the Base Batches Consumer Track
(for some reason it always failed to submit in the track blank so I typed it here)
KPOP fandom is a very important component in the global consumer audience, being the fashion trend and opinion leaders and shapers among youth.
1. KPOP fans are consumers with creative abilities.
The KPOP fan consumers who are also fan-art creators, one of the most vibrant and creative people you can find.
The rotation of their consumption-creation loop is sustainable, decentralized, and fits onchain economy.
2.KPOP fans are consumers who pay extremely for emotional value
They attach great emotion and faith to KPOP and the metaphors.
KPOP fandom is also sufficiently globalized, primarily consisting Gen Z, and consumers from East Asia, Europe, America, and Latin America.
3. KPOP fans are highly purchasing power consumer
The fan economy is a founding pillar of the South Korean economic industry.
A report by Allied Market Research showed that the K-pop events market alone was valued at $8.1 bn in 2021 and is estimated to reach $20 bn by 2031, growing with a CAGR of 7.3% from 2022 to 2031. ( from https://asiafundmanagers.com/kpop-and-economic-impact-on-south-korea/)
Tracks Applied (1)
Consumer
Cheer Project
Cheering for a project means supporting a project you like with as little as 0.0025 ETH. Right now, you can Cheer using ETH on Arbitrum, Optimism and Base.