KBW2025 Attendee Guide: Seoul Web3全景攻略
TechFlow Selected TechFlow Selected
KBW2025 Attendee Guide: Seoul Web3全景攻略
The convergence of Web3 fever and Korean pop culture has turned this event into a celebration of ideas, technology, and entertainment.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAt the entrance of Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts in Seoul, thousands of global Web3 participants will gather for Korea Blockchain Week (KBW2025) from September 22 to 28, 2025. As Asia's most influential blockchain event, this year’s KBW shines especially bright—White House digital asset advisor Bo Hines, acting CFTC Chair Caroline D. Pham, and BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes are among the heavyweight figures converging in Seoul, underscoring Korea’s growing significance in the global crypto landscape. The convergence of Web3 fervor and Korean pop culture turns this gathering into a vibrant celebration of ideas, technology, and entertainment.
As an OG who has witnessed the industry’s ups and downs, I can deeply feel Korea emerging as East Asia’s ultimate Web3 launchpad. Over eight years, Seoul has evolved from a tech testing ground into the epicenter of Web3 culture—its brilliance akin to the Han River skyline, heralding the full arrival of East Asia’s Web3 era.
KBW2025: A Summit Dialogue Between Policy and Innovation
IMPACT Main Conference: The Ultimate Arena for Thought Leaders
From September 23 to 24, Walkerhill Hotels & Resorts in Seoul will host the most powerful intellectual feast in KBW history. White House digital asset advisor Bo Hines will speak in Asia for the first time, sharing the latest developments in U.S. crypto policy and possibly signaling American investment intentions toward Asia’s crypto markets. The presence of acting CFTC Chair Caroline D. Pham sends a strong message of regulatory cooperation between the U.S. and Asia, with her insights on cross-border compliance expected to be a major highlight.
Meanwhile, Arthur Hayes returns to KBW for the third consecutive year. This “hardcore crypto ambassador” will bring his sharp market cycle analysis, guaranteed to ignite the audience. Industry 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 lead cutting-edge discussions linking policy, capital, and technology. This is not just a conference—it’s a battleground shaping the future of Web3.
Full Coverage of Hot Narratives: From AI to Quantum Threats
On this intellectual stage, policy, capital, and technology converge, setting the tone for KBW2025. Beyond the sharp exchanges among speakers, what stands out is the forward-looking nature of the topics. This year’s conference moves beyond traditional crypto finance, expanding its scope to include AI, RWA, and even the potential threats posed by quantum computing, aiming to present a panoramic view of the entire future industry chain.
KBW2025 tackles the most pressing issues: the integration of AI and Web3 is moving from concept to implementation; RWA (real-world asset tokenization) breaks down traditional financial barriers by bringing real estate, art, and bonds on-chain, injecting trillions in liquidity into DeFi. The threat quantum technology poses to cryptographic algorithms pushes the industry to consider the next line of defense for blockchain. Amid shifting U.S. politics and evolving global regulations, KBW2025 offers a prime vantage point to observe these changes, with seamless alignment between policy and industry development generating tremendous excitement.
1001 Festival Seoul: A Fantastical Party Where K-Pop Meets Crypto
Continuing Dubai’s Momentum, Lighting Up Seoul’s Night Sky
Following the success of Dubai’s “1001 Crypto Nights” in April 2025—which attracted over 5,000 attendees and was covered by The Wall Street Journal—1001 Festival Seoul brings K-culture into Web3. From 15:00 to 23:00 on September 24, RAUM Art Center transforms into a meeting point of crypto and culture. Curated by LBank Labs, this event blends Korean childhood games with the crypto world, creating a one-of-a-kind immersive experience. Interactive challenges inspired by "Squid Game," such as “Red Light, Green Light” HOLD/FOLD decisions and Bitcoin-shaped honeycomb cookies, make complex crypto concepts fun and nostalgic.
A-List Ecosystem Alliance
1001 Festival Seoul is a massive party co-organized by LBank Labs and Alibaba Cloud, uniting Web3, K-pop, and music elements. ZetaChain and Tencent Cloud serve as core partners, joined by JDY Cloud in collaboration, collectively expanding market influence.
The event also brings together nearly 10 top Meme projects as co-organizers, including SHIB, WIF, Babydoge, DOG, Brett, Turbo, MEW, and Cocoro. With combined social media followers approaching tens of millions and total market capitalization exceeding $10 billion, these projects showcase the immense power of the Meme sector.
Additionally, leading public blockchain ecosystems such as Avalanche, Polygon, Kaspa, Manta Network, ICP, and XDC Network join as ecosystem partners, co-creating a comprehensive “crypto all-in-one” experience covering Meme, L1, and L2 projects.
This cross-project, cross-ecosystem lineup not only reinforces LBank’s leadership in the “100x Gems Hub” but also highlights Korea’s openness and inclusivity toward diverse crypto assets. The event also receives joint promotion from nearly 100 KOLs, achieving over 100 million impressions.
Korean Superstars Ignite the Crowd
The live performances by Korean rappers Loca and GRAY are the event’s highlights, with their hit songs set to light up Seoul’s night sky. The live shows by top Korean rappers Loca and GRAY are undoubtedly the biggest attractions of the event.
-
Loco stormed the Korean music scene with his unique rhythmic rap, winning Season 1 of “Show Me The Money” and hits like “Spring Is Gone By Chance”;
-
GRAY, a gold-standard producer at AOMG, co-created classics such as “119” and “Dangerous,” and has been repeatedly nominated for “Producer of the Year” at the Korean Hip-Hop Awards;
Both artists have shined on variety shows like “Running Man” and “Yoo Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook,” earning immense respect in Korea’s hip-hop community. Their participation not only electrifies Seoul’s nightlife but also bridges crypto culture with mainstream entertainment. Fans can interact via LBank Labs’ official X account to request songs and share a 10,000 USDT prize pool, or participate in social media campaigns to win a 15,000 prize pool, enjoying dual experiences of entertainment and blockchain incentives.
Perfect Fusion of Brand and Culture
1001 Festival Seoul captures global attention with K-pop and regional cultural elements. Performances by Loca and GRAY help convey decentralization ideals to the masses through music. I once witnessed the frenzy of meme communities in Dubai; now in Seoul, the fusion of K-pop and crypto feels even brighter.
LBank Labs, a globally leading Web3 investment and innovation incubation platform, will seamlessly connect meme culture, K-pop, and blockchain technology through “1001 Festival Seoul,” igniting community passion. This entertainment spectacle acts as a catalyst for Web3 adoption, drawing K-pop fans, crypto enthusiasts, and global investors to co-create a decentralized future. The event is free to attend—users can obtain free entry via the Luma platform and immerse themselves in this magical collision of culture and technology.
Side Event Extravaganza: The Full Resonance of Web3 Culture
The charm of KBW2025 extends far beyond the main venue. Over 500 side events scatter across Seoul like stars, including hackathons, parties, and cultural experiences. Below are some unmissable highlights:
Nightlife Never Sleeps
On September 20, Ultra Korea UMF kicks off KBW at Oil Tank Culture Park with thunderous electronic music, integrating stablecoin payments to ignite the first collision between Web3 and K-pop. On September 24, 1001 Festival Seoul at RAUM Art Center fuses Korean-style games with crypto culture, continuing the global momentum of Dubai’s “1001 Crypto Nights.” This is more than a tech event—it’s a catalyst for cultural transformation.
Hackathons: Arenas of Innovation
Sui-mming Hackathon 2025 (September 19–21) and XRPL Hackathon Seoul 2025 (September 20–21) will bring together top global developers for intense innovation battles on Seoul’s fertile tech ground. A DeFi project born at KBW’s 2023 hackathon reached a valuation of over $10 million the following year—similar miracles may repeat this year. These events aren’t just technical competitions—they’re launchpads for the next unicorn.
Deep Dives Into Vertical Fields
-
AI World 2025 (September 25): Hosted by South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT, this event at Lotte World Tower explores the “infinite scalability” of AI and blockchain. Interactive workshops focus on AI agents enhancing Web3 competitiveness, while a quantum tech panel reveals future challenges.
-
deAI Day (September 24): Hosted by Aethir, this deep dive into decentralized AI and DePIN showcases smart city applications like IoTeX’s modular platform, making abstract concepts tangible.
-
RWAiFi Summit (September 25): Hosted by GAIB, focusing on tokenizing real estate and art, with MakerDAO sharing case studies on how RWA enhances asset liquidity.
-
Asia Stablecoin Conference (September 25): Discusses the Asian outlook for stablecoins and CBDCs, highlighting Korea’s leadership role in the regional ecosystem.
In addition, Solana ecosystem event "Solana Oriental" (September 22) focuses on the future of stablecoins; "VCs & LPs Cocktail Hour" (September 24) features VC pitch sessions to help startups secure funding. These events blend technology and culture, showcasing Seoul’s inclusive Web3 spirit, and are expected to reach hundreds of millions through global media coverage by outlets such as CoinGape and BeinCrypto.
Korea: Financial Disruption Under the “Kimchi Premium”
Korea’s crypto market reads like an epic historical drama—marked by frenzy and rebirth. During the 2017–2018 bull run, Korea, with a population of 50 million, accounted for over 20% of global crypto trading volume, sparking the “Kimchi Premium” craze—Bitcoin prices on Upbit and Coinone一度 surged 50% above global levels. In an economy dominated by chaebols, young people facing high unemployment and limited social mobility saw crypto as a path to escape oppression. Over 30% of the population holds crypto assets—far above the global average—with youth viewing it as a shortcut to upward mobility, driving trading volumes as turbulent as the Han River.
But the 2022 collapse of Terra/LUNA brought a freezing cold. Korean founder Do Kwon’s algorithmic stablecoin UST spiraled out of control, sending LUNA from $80 to near zero in minutes, wiping out $50 billion in market cap and leaving millions of investors bankrupt. The Kimchi Premium vanished overnight, plunging the market into a “Seoul Winter.” Then in December 2024, President Yoon Suk-yeol’s six-hour martial law declaration worsened the crisis—Bitcoin briefly plunged 30%, XRP dropped 60% within minutes, panic selling swept the nation, and Korea’s crypto market hit rock bottom.
Yet phoenixes rise from ashes. In 2024, the “Virtual Asset User Protection Act” took effect, shifting regulation from suppression to empowerment, while the global bull market breathed new life into Korea. At the same time, K-culture’s global influence infused Web3 with unique energy. Strategically located in East Asia, Korea is becoming a crypto hub connecting China, Japan, the U.S., and Europe. Japan’s regulatory innovation, Singapore’s policy-friendly environment, Hong Kong’s financial bridge, and Korea’s cultural trends are converging to form a robust East Asian Web3 ecosystem. KBW2025 draws global policymakers and investors, highlighting Seoul’s strategic importance.
Standing at the 2025 horizon, the center of gravity in Web3 is shifting eastward. Seoul stands at the forefront of this transformation. The party in the crypto world never ends—will you join this grand East Asian Web3 celebration?
Join TechFlow official community to stay tuned
Telegram:https://t.me/TechFlowDaily
X (Twitter):https://x.com/TechFlowPost
X (Twitter) EN:https://x.com/BlockFlow_News
