Weverse Company CEO Choi Jun-won said that a platform environment where superfans gather creates artists' authenticity, and that this can develop to bring new vitality to the traditional music industry.
Choi participated as a speaker in a one-on-one session at the global forum Reuters NEXT held in New York, U.S., on the afternoon of the 4th (local time), and explained this.
Reuters NEXT is a global forum hosted annually by the international news agency Reuters, with about 100 global leaders participating as speakers. This year's speakers included Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, and Pearlena Igbokwe, chairman of NBCUniversal Studio Group, among others; Choi was the only Korean corporate representative and the first fandom platform company to stand on the Reuters NEXT stage.
At the forum themed Technology & AI that day, Choi held a one-on-one conversation with Reuters senior reporter Kim Vinnell under the theme "Weverse's milestone for the superfan business model across the industry."
At the start of the conversation, the moderator described the various functions and features Weverse has as a fandom platform and introduced it as "a place where superfans can connect directly with artists." He went on to note that "Weverse shows well how technology expands users' engagement, creates personalized experiences and builds an entirely new business model."
In response to a question about the characteristics of superfans who use fandom platforms like Weverse, Choi presented three differentiators. He first explained that "because superfans exist all over the world, they are very accustomed to using social media and platforms to communicate with artists who are physically distant. Therefore, artists have no choice but to adopt a strategy of approaching content globally from the point of release." He then pointed out that "they show a tendency to find people with the same interests and form communities, and for superfans it is a very important experience to like, support and feel a sense of belonging with the same people." Finally, he explained that "through this process, when fans become immersed in fan activities, they take on the character of an "artist growth partner" who can help an artist's career growth."
Asked how to build a business model targeting superfans, Choi said, "Because superfans exist all over the world, Weverse had to prepare a user environment for superfans worldwide from the platform's launch," and added, "It is important to create what superfans want and a user environment that is convenient for them."
On the use of AI and technology in the fandom platform field, he said, "Because the platform plays a role connecting artists and fans, it is mainly used to increase internal productivity rather than outward-facing services." The moderator said, "In a recent environment saturated with AI, it can be difficult for platform users to feel authenticity," and added, "For example, it can be hard to believe that sending a DM to an artist with millions of fans would result in getting a reply."
Choi said, "That is why authenticity is the value Weverse considers most important," and stressed, "As technology advances, the value of real communication created by people grows larger." He said, "Fandom platforms like Weverse show more authenticity because superfans gather there, making artists feel psychologically safe," and cited examples of artists doing "Weverse Live," cooking while talking with fans and even falling asleep, and explained, "Authenticity appears where artists communicate in ways different from traditional social media, and superfans fully sense that."
Meanwhile, Choi also presented a vision that fandom platforms can further expand the market for the music industry. When the moderator asked about Weverse's future plans near the end of the conversation, Choi said, "There is a view that the global growth rate of the music industry is slowing because traditional business models such as albums and concerts have a large share," and added, "I believe the power of superfans gathered around fandom platforms can revitalize the music industry."
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