The collision of the Web3 craze and Korean Wave culture has turned this grand event into a carnival of ideas, technology, and entertainment.
At the entrance of Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts in Seoul, from September 22 to 28, 2025, the Korea Blockchain Week (KBW2025) will welcome tens of thousands of Web3 participants from around the globe. As Asia's most influential blockchain event, this year's KBW shines particularly bright—heavyweights such as Bo Hines, Executive Director of the White House Digital Asset Advisory Committee, Caroline D. Pham, Acting Chair of the U.S. CFTC, and Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, will gather in Seoul, highlighting Korea's significant role in the global crypto landscape. The fusion of the Web3 trend and Korean Wave culture makes this event a celebration of ideas, technology, and entertainment.
As a crypto OG who has witnessed the industry's ups and downs, I deeply feel that Korea is rising as a super springboard for Web3 in East Asia. Over the past eight years, Seoul has transformed from a technology testing ground into a source of Web3 culture, shining as brightly as the night view of the Han River, heralding the full opening of the East Asian Web3 era.
KBW2025: A Peak Dialogue of Policy and Innovation
IMPACT Main Conference: A Super Arena for Thought Leaders
From September 23 to 24, Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts in Seoul will host the strongest intellectual feast in KBW history. Bo Hines will speak for the first time in Asia, sharing the latest trends in U.S. crypto policy, which may reveal investment signals from the U.S. to the Asian crypto market. The arrival of Caroline D. Pham sends a strong signal of U.S. regulation and cooperation with Asia, and her insights on cross-border compliance will be a focal point.
At the same time, Arthur Hayes will make his third consecutive appearance at KBW. This "hardcore spokesperson" of crypto will analyze market cycles with sharp perspectives, sure to ignite the audience. Leaders such as Yat Siu (Chairman of Animoca Brands), Haseeb Qureshi (Dragonfly Capital), Mike Belshe (CEO of BitGo), Ben Zhou (CEO of Bybit), and Lily Liu (Solana Foundation) will connect the forefront dialogues of policy, capital, and technology. This is not just a conference; it is a platform to define the future of Web3.
Comprehensive Coverage of Hot Topics: From AI to Quantum Threats
On this intellectual arena, policy, capital, and technology intertwine, setting the tone for KBW2025. However, beyond the sharp dialogues of the guests, the forefront nature of the topics is even more noteworthy. This year's conference does not remain in traditional discussions of crypto finance but expands its vision to AI, RWA (Real World Asset tokenization), and even potential threats from quantum computing, aiming to present a future panorama that encompasses the entire industry chain.
This year's KBW2025 topics hit the cutting edge: the integration of AI and Web3 moves from concept to implementation, RWA breaks traditional financial barriers by tokenizing real estate, artworks, and bonds, injecting trillions in liquidity into DeFi. The challenges posed by quantum technology to crypto algorithms prompt the industry to consider the next line of defense for blockchain. With shifts in U.S. political dynamics and adjustments in the global regulatory landscape, KBW2025 becomes an excellent window to observe these changes, with the seamless connection between policy and industry stirring excitement.
1001 Festival Seoul: A Fantastic Party of Korean Wave and Crypto
Continuing the Dubai Craze, Igniting the Seoul Night Sky
Following the success of "1001 Crypto Nights" in Dubai in April 2025, which attracted over 5,000 participants and was reported by The Wall Street Journal, the 1001 Festival Seoul infuses the Korean Wave into Web3. On September 24, from 15:00 to 23:00, the RAUM Art Center will transform into a crossroads of crypto and culture. This grand event, meticulously planned by LBank Labs, will merge Korean childhood game culture with the crypto world, creating a unique immersive experience. Inspired by interactive challenges from "Squid Game," such as the "Red Light, Green Light" HOLD/FOLD decision and Bitcoin Dalgona cookies, complex crypto concepts become engaging through childhood memories.
Ultra-Luxurious Ecological Alliance
The 1001 Festival Seoul is a mega party co-hosted by LBank Labs and Alibaba Cloud, bringing together elements of Web3, the Korean Wave, and music. ZetaChain and Tencent Cloud serve as core partners, and JDY Cloud has also joined in collaboration to continuously expand market influence.
The event also gathers nearly 10 top Meme projects as co-hosts, including SHIB, WIF, Babydoge, DOG, Brett, Turbo, MEW, Cocoro, etc. Their total social media following approaches tens of millions, and the total market capitalization of the projects exceeds $10 billion, showcasing the immense influence of the Meme sector.
At the same time, the event has attracted participation from top public chain ecological partners such as Avalanche, Polygon, Kaspa, Manta Network, ICP, and XDC Network, jointly creating a "crypto family bucket" covering Meme, L1, and L2.
This luxurious lineup across projects and ecosystems not only continues LBank's industry-leading position on the "100x Gems Hub" but also highlights the Korean market's inclusiveness and openness to diverse crypto assets. Additionally, the event has garnered nearly a hundred KOLs to jointly voice their support, achieving over 100 million exposures.
Korean Wave Superstars Ignite the Scene
The performances of Korean rappers Loco and GRAY are the highlights of the event, with their chart-topping singles set to light up the Seoul night sky. The live performances of top Korean rappers Loco and GRAY are undoubtedly the biggest draw of the event.
Loco, the champion of the first season of "Show Me The Money" and known for hits like "Spring Is Gone By Chance," has swept the Korean music scene with his unique rhythm;
GRAY, a gold medal producer at AOMG, has collaborated on classics like "119" and "Dangerous," and has been nominated multiple times for the Korean Hip-Hop Awards' "Producer of the Year";
Both have shone in variety shows like "Running Man" and "Yoo Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook," holding high prestige in the Korean hip-hop scene. Their participation not only ignites the Seoul night sky but also achieves a crossover between crypto culture and mainstream entertainment. Fans can also interact through LBank Labs' official X to request songs, sharing a prize pool of 10,000 USDT, or participate in social media activities to share a 15,000 prize pool, experiencing a dual engagement in entertainment and blockchain incentive mechanisms.
Perfect Fusion of Brands and Culture
The 1001 Festival Seoul attracts global attention with K-pop and regional cultural elements, allowing the decentralized concept to reach the public through music. I witnessed the fervor of the Meme community in Dubai, and now in Seoul, the fusion of the Korean Wave and crypto is even more dazzling.
LBank Labs, as a global leader in Web3 investment and innovation incubation, will seamlessly connect Meme culture, the Korean Wave, and blockchain technology through the "1001 Festival Seoul," igniting community enthusiasm. This entertainment feast serves as a catalyst for the popularization of Web3, attracting K-pop fans, crypto enthusiasts, and global investors to co-create a decentralized future. The event is free and open to the public, with users able to obtain free entry qualifications through the Luma platform to participate in this fantastic collision of culture and technology.
Surrounding Events Carnival: A Comprehensive Resonance of Web3 Culture
The charm of KBW2025 extends beyond the main venue, with over 500 surrounding events dotting Seoul like stars, covering hackathons, parties, and cultural experiences. Here are a few highlights not to be missed:
The Night Carnival Never Stops
On September 20, Ultra Korea UMF will kick off KBW at Oil Tank Culture Park with deafening electronic music, integrating stablecoin payments to ignite the first collision of Web3 and the Korean Wave. On September 24, the 1001 Festival Seoul at the RAUM Art Center will merge Korean-style games with crypto culture, continuing the global craze of Dubai's "1001 Crypto Nights." This is not just a technology event; it is a catalyst for cultural transformation.
Hackathons as Arenas of Innovation
The Sui-mming Hackathon 2025 (September 19-21) and XRPL Hackathon Seoul 2025 (September 20-21) will gather top developers from around the world to engage in fierce innovation competitions on the technological soil of Seoul. DeFi projects born from the 2023 KBW hackathon achieved valuations exceeding ten million the following year, and similar miracles may occur again this year. These events are not only technical competitions but also incubation grounds for the next unicorn.
In-Depth Exploration of Vertical Fields
AI World 2025 (September 25): Hosted by the Ministry of Science and ICT of Korea, this event at the Lotte World Tower will explore the "infinite expansion" of AI and blockchain. Interactive workshops will focus on enhancing Web3 competitiveness through AI agents, while a quantum technology panel will reveal future challenges.
deAI Day (September 24): Hosted by Aethir, this event will delve into decentralized AI and DePIN, showcasing smart city applications like the IoTeX modular platform, bringing abstract concepts to life.
RWAiFi Summit (September 25): Hosted by GAIB, this summit will focus on the tokenization of real estate and artworks, with case studies from MakerDAO revealing how RWA can enhance asset liquidity.
Asia Stablecoin Conference (September 25): This conference will discuss the Asian prospects of stablecoins and CBDCs, highlighting Korea's leading position in the regional ecosystem.
Additionally, the Solana ecosystem conference "Solana Oriental" (September 22) will focus on the future of stablecoins; the "VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour" (September 24) will feature VC roadshows to assist startup financing. These events blend technology and culture, showcasing Seoul's inclusivity in Web3, with expected coverage by global media such as CoinGape and BeinCrypto, reaching hundreds of millions.
Korea: Financial Disruption Under the "Kimchi Premium"
The Korean crypto market resembles a grand historical drama, writing tales of fervor and rebirth. During the 2017-2018 bull market, Korea, with a population of 50 million, contributed over 20% of global crypto trading volume, igniting the "Kimchi Premium" craze—Bitcoin prices on Upbit and Coinone were once 50% higher than the global average. In an economy dominated by chaebols, young people at the bottom face high unemployment rates and social mobility bottlenecks, making crypto a beacon of hope for liberation. Over 30% of the population holds crypto assets, far exceeding the global average, with young people viewing it as a shortcut to success, trading as fiercely as the Han River.
However, the collapse of Terra/LUNA in 2022 hit like a cold wave. The algorithmic stablecoin UST, created by Korean founder Do Kwon, spiraled out of control, with LUNA crashing from $80 to nearly zero, erasing $50 billion in market value and leaving millions of investors with nothing. The Kimchi Premium plummeted, and the market fell into a "Seoul winter." In December 2024, President Yoon Suk-yeol's six-hour state of emergency further exacerbated the situation, causing Bitcoin to briefly plunge 30% and XRP to drop 60%, as panic selling swept the nation, plunging the Korean crypto market to its lowest point.
From the ashes, a phoenix rises. In 2024, the "Virtual Asset User Protection Act" came into effect, shifting regulation from high pressure to empowerment, while the global bull market revival injected new life into Korea. Meanwhile, the global influence of the Korean Wave brings unique vitality to Web3. Located at the core of East Asia, Korea is becoming a crypto hub connecting China, Japan, the U.S., and Europe. Japan's regulatory innovations, Singapore's policy friendliness, and Hong Kong's financial bridge, combined with Korea's cultural trends, are forming a cohesive East Asian Web3 ecosystem. KBW2025 attracts global policymakers and investors, highlighting Seoul's strategic position.
Standing at the juncture of 2025, the focus of Web3 is shifting eastward. Seoul is at the forefront of transformation, and the carnival of the crypto world never ends. Are you ready to join this grand East Asian Web3 party?
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