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Redefining KPOP Loyalty – An Exclusive Interview with the Team Behind Duul3et

KPOP fandom is more than just a trend—it’s a thriving community filled with passion, creativity, and loyalty. Yet, the experience for fans has often been limited by traditional systems that prioritize profit over meaningful engagement. This is where Duul3et comes in. 

By blending Web3 technology with the vibrant world of KPOP, Duul3et is redefining how fans connect, engage, and celebrate their favorite idols. From blockchain-based rewards to unique community experiences, Duul3et offers a platform that celebrates fans’ dedication and creates lasting connections.

In this interview, we sit down with the creators of Duul3et to explore how the platform is innovating in the KPOP space, what inspired their journey, and what the future holds for fans worldwide.

1. Can you start by telling us the inspiration behind Duul3et and how it aims to transform the KPOP fan experience?

The inspiration behind Duul3et stems from my personal journey as a long-time KPOP fan. Since April 2021, I’ve been deeply involved in the KPOP community by running a dedicated Instagram account, creating fan-made merchandise, and hosting various offline events. In May 2023, I founded Duul3et, drawing inspiration from the web3 space, particularly from projects like Azuki and DenDekaDen. These communities empower members to own, create, and collaborate in meaningful ways—helping each other grow while celebrating shared interests. That sense of empowerment and community is what I wanted to bring to KPOP fans through Duul3et.

Duul3et aims to revolutionize the K-pop fan experience through the power of both technology and community. We leverage blockchain technology to record and authenticate fan engagements, whether attending official events like concerts and pop-up stores or participating in fan-organized events like birthday cafe, meetups, and even online social activities like reposting on X and liking on Instagram. By recording these interactions on the blockchain, we ensure the data is transparent, verifiable, and authentic. This allows us to identify loyal fans and reward them with exclusive perks and benefits, further enhancing their experience.

On the community side, we recognize that building connections is crucial in any ecosystem. While current platforms facilitate interactions, they often prioritize engaging with idols over fostering meaningful relationships between fans. At Duul3et, we aim to change that by creating spaces that encourage fans to connect and collaborate with each other. Whether it’s discussing the latest comebacks, organizing offline events, or finding travel companions for overseas activities, our platform promotes friendship and collaboration within the fandom—bringing fans closer not just to their idols, but to each other.

2. Duul3et blends Web3 technology with KPOP culture. What motivated you to integrate Web3, and how does it enhance the platform for users?

The integration of Web3 technology with KPOP culture was a natural step for Duul3et because of the numerous events and the passionate fanbase that shares a common goal: supporting their favorite idols & groups. Despite this strong connection, most entertainment agencies currently rely on “pay-to-get” membership systems or first-come-first-serve (FCFS) models to identify fans and distribute perks. While financial contributions are important, we believe that fans’ time, dedication, and social engagement should also play a significant role in determining the rewards they receive.

At Duul3et, we wanted to change that. Web3 technology enables us to build a more comprehensive system that values fan loyalty in all its forms—whether through attending concerts, organizing fan events, or contributing to online communities. By recording these interactions on the blockchain, we can ensure transparency, authenticity, and ease of use for both agencies and fans. This way, fans can receive perks not just based on financial support but also their overall engagement, while agencies can efficiently identify their most dedicated supporters.

Additionally, Web3 provides solutions to a major issue in the K-pop space: fraud and scams. From counterfeit concert tickets to fake merchandise to misuse fans’ donations, fans often find themselves at risk. With blockchain verification tools and transparent payment systems, fans can confidently verify the authenticity of items and transactions. Whether it’s tracking the legitimacy of a user’s reputation or ensuring that donations are being properly managed, Web3 makes the entire ecosystem more secure. By embedding this level of trust and accountability into the platform, we aim to reduce the prevalence of bad actors and create a safer environment for fans to connect and engage.

3. The platform provides various features like merchandise trading, community engagement, and event organization. Which feature has been the most popular among users so far, and why?

The community engagement feature has quickly become the most popular on Duul3et, thanks to its seamless and rewarding experience. We’ve developed an easy-to-use system where fans can earn points for completing simple tasks on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), such as liking, reposting, and commenting. These points can then be redeemed for exciting rewards, including participation in raffles, giveaways, and even exchanging them for exclusive physical items.

Additionally, we’ve implemented a bot that tracks users’ activities within the platform’s channels. Simply by interacting and chatting with fellow fans, users can climb a leaderboard based on their engagement levels. At the end of each season, the most active members are rewarded with special roles that grant them exclusive perks and benefits in the following season. This gamified approach not only keeps the community lively and engaged, but also offers fans meaningful incentives for their participation and contributions.

4. How does Duul3et create a more meaningful ecosystem for fans, and what kind of rewards and perks can fans expect based on their contributions?

Duul3et is focused on creating a meaningful and dynamic ecosystem for fans by fostering a safe space for them to connect with each other while also forming strategic partnerships within the KPOP ecosystem. We’ve collaborated with key businesses in the K-pop ecosystem, such as a KPOP merchandise retail store in Hong Kong, where DuulBit holders (DuulBit being the name of our NFT) can enjoy exclusive discounts. Additionally, we’ve partnered with a printing service store that supports fans in creating their own merchandise, offering discounted rates to those in our community.

Beyond these current perks, we are committed to expanding our ecosystem by onboarding more partners and offering even more value to our users based on their contributions. For example, we already have a referral program in place that rewards fans with points for bringing others into the community.

Moving forward, we plan to extend these rewards to our e-commerce platform, introducing a group-order feature where organizers will earn cashback incentives for facilitating larger orders through Konvoy, our licensed e-commerce business. This approach ensures that fans benefit not only from their engagement but also from their contributions to growing the ecosystem.

5. Can you share some examples of successful offline events organized through Duul3et? How do these events impact the fan community?

One of the most memorable events we organized was “The Kkura Season,” which took place in March 2024 to celebrate Miyawaki Sakura’s birthday. For this 10-day event, we partnered with a two-story coffee shop in Hong Kong, adorning the venue with beautiful images of Sakura and LE SSERAFIM. Attendees received exclusive fan-made merchandise, including cup sleeves, transparent tarot cards, and glasses cleaning cloths—free of charge, with only food and drinks to be purchased.

Additionally, we scheduled fan gathering time slots, allowing fans to connect, discuss LE SSERAFIM, and form new friendships within the fandom. This also created an opportunity for fans to buy, sell, and trade photocards, enhancing the community experience. During the event, we launched our first DuulBit NFT collection, marking a significant transition from a web2 group to a web3 community, complete with exciting future perks for our members.

Events like this have a profound impact on the fan community, fostering connections and creating lasting memories. They bridge the gap between online engagement and real-world interactions, ultimately strengthening the overall fan culture.

6. KPOP culture is constantly evolving. How does Duul3et stay updated with the latest trends to ensure it meets fans’ expectations?

Duul3et thrives on the passion of our team, which is made up of dedicated K-pop fans. This insider perspective allows us to stay informed about the latest trends and developments in the industry. We actively seek out information from various sources, including K-pop content creators, to stay updated on comeback schedules, and on important news involving key players like HYBE and ADOR (NewJeans).

To ensure we meet fans’ expectations, we prioritize open communication with our community on the platform. This not only helps us maintain smooth operations but also allows us to actively listen to feedback and suggestions from fans. By engaging directly with our users, we can provide tools and features that are genuinely useful and relevant to the evolving K-pop fandom.

7. What role does community feedback play in the development of Duul3et’s features? Can you share a recent example where fan input directly influenced the platform?

Community feedback is central to the development of Duul3et’s features. We prioritize involving our users in decisions that directly impact their experience, often conducting votes on key features, such as notifications, updates, and the creation of new channels dedicated to specific idol groups.

A recent example of this community-driven approach involved a vote on whether our bot should tag fans whenever official videos were posted on YouTube (previously, the bot would simply post without tagging). The majority voted against this change, and we respected the community’s decision, ensuring that our platform remains aligned with their preferences. This collaborative process ensures that Duul3et continues to evolve in a way that best serves the fans’ needs.

8. How does Duul3et aim to support new and emerging KPOP artists, apart from providing a platform for fans to connect?

At Duul3et, we actively support new and emerging K-pop artists by fostering a space where fans can easily share content, such as videos and photos, related to the idols they follow. This peer-to-peer sharing helps introduce debuting or lesser-known artists to a broader audience, creating organic awareness within the community.

Additionally, we provide a monthly update on the entire K-pop industry’s comeback schedule, allowing fans to stay informed about upcoming debuts and releases. This calendar is accessible at any time, helping fans discover new artists in real time.

To further promote emerging talent, we offer a dedicated music channel that streams K-pop music 24/7. Fans not only get to enjoy new tracks, but they can also see the song titles and artist names displayed in the comment section—making it easier for them to discover and follow up-and-coming K-pop artists.

9. The platform seems to cater to a global audience. How do you manage different language preferences and cultural nuances to ensure a seamless experience for international users?

At Duul3et, we are committed to creating a truly global platform that embraces language diversity and cultural nuances. While we were founded in Hong Kong and our Cantonese-speaking community currently makes up a large portion of our users, we recognize the importance of catering to a broader, international audience. To ensure inclusivity, we’ve introduced an English-language general chat, allowing fans from all over the world to engage and share their passion for K-pop.

We understand that K-pop fandoms are incredibly diverse, with fans from different cultures and backgrounds. To address this, we are working toward integrating both Chinese and English languages across the platform, and we are exploring ways to further localize content for other regions in the future. By doing so, we aim to provide a seamless experience for fans, regardless of their language preferences, while also respecting and celebrating the cultural diversity within the global K-pop community.

10. Looking ahead, what are some upcoming features or developments for Duul3et that fans can look forward to?

Looking ahead, Duul3et has several exciting features and developments on the horizon. One of the key updates is the introduction of an enhanced DuulBit system on our official website, designed to seamlessly integrate Web3 technology without requiring users to have prior knowledge of it. Users will be able to create accounts effortlessly by logging in with their social media or email. On the platform, users can mint a DuulBit with a click, view their DuulBit collection in one place, and unlock various perks and benefits directly on the site. This streamlined process is designed to ensure smooth onboarding for fans worldwide.

Additionally, we are working with partners to explore opportunities around IP rights, enabling fans and creators to use, share, and monetize their content. Given the incredible creativity within our community, we believe this feature will ignite a wave of creativity, allowing fans to not only engage with the platform but also grow with us. It’s an initiative aimed at fostering collaboration and creativity, helping expand both Duul3et’s reach and the visibility of its talented community.

Duul3et is transforming the KPOP fan experience by prioritizing authenticity, engagement, and community. With a suite of innovative features, from blockchain-backed loyalty rewards to fan-organized events and exclusive merchandise, Duul3et empowers fans to connect meaningfully, celebrate together, and support their favorite idols in new, impactful ways. 

As Duul3et continues to evolve and expand, fans can look forward to even more opportunities for creative expression and collaboration within a secure and dynamic platform.

We’re excited to see how Duul3et continues to innovate and redefine what it means to be part of the KPOP community. Stay tuned for the next chapter in this groundbreaking journey!