Two things I realized while watching the recent @stayloudio 'incident':
1. projects are starting to take the Korean community much more seriously. In the past, Korea was often dismissed as simply "a nation of traders," and getting a coin listed on a Korean exchange was considered the main priority.
But with the recent @initia governance prop39, and now the LOUD case as well, it feels like Korean users are waking up to on-chain participation—and even engagement farming.
When that concentrated intensity Koreans are known for gets applied to on-chain activity and engagement, I think projects will start to recognize Korea as a much more important market.
Koreans really do feel like they were born for crypto, and yet the government continues to regulate the space... Korea’s role in the crypto industry is definitely unique and peculiar.
2. And speaking specifically about the LOUD! project—it’s interesting because, in order to survive in the market, you ultimately need "attention." Up until now, gaining attention typically required something shocking, beautiful, or extremely high-quality. That’s the formula most teams used for marketing and building products.
But the LOUD project simply made noise to attract attention—and that attention snowballed into more attention. They succeeded with a method that feels very “counterintuitive.” I think the core idea is: “What matters is getting attention—you don’t necessarily have to follow the conventional paths to earn it.”
All in all, it’s definitely a fascinating project.
Two things I realized while watching the recent @stayloudio 'incident':
1. projects are starting to take the Korean community much more seriously. In the past, Korea was often dismissed as simply "a nation of traders," and getting a coin listed on a Korean exchange was considered the main priority.
But with the recent Inisia governance incident, and now the LOUD case as well, it feels like Korean users are waking up to on-chain participation—and even engagement farming.
When that concentrated intensity Koreans are known for gets applied to on-chain activity and engagement, I think projects will start to recognize Korea as a much more important market.
Koreans really do feel like they were born for crypto, and yet the government continues to regulate the space... Korea’s role in the crypto industry is definitely unique and peculiar.
2. And speaking specifically about the LOUD! project—it’s interesting because, in order to survive in the market, you ultimately need "attention." Up until now, gaining attention typically required something shocking, beautiful, or extremely high-quality. That’s the formula most teams used for marketing and building products.
But the LOUD project simply made noise to attract attention—and that attention snowballed into more attention. They succeeded with a method that feels very “counterintuitive.” I think the core idea is: “What matters is getting attention—you don’t necessarily have to follow the conventional paths to earn it.”
All in all, it’s definitely a fascinating project.
Interesting fact about @MaplestoryU and Korean Bureaucrats
This recent case involving @MaplestoryU 's token listing on Korean exchanges and the Korea's regulation of in-game play once again reminded me of how uniquely complex Korea can be.
1. Since games must not be classified as gambling, Korean regulations strictly prohibit players from earning in-game assets that can be exchanged for value.
2. At the same time, there has been ongoing criticism of Korean users being used merely as a “liquidity exit” for foreign-led crypto projects—so-called “burger coins”—with demands for stricter listing standards (though it’s debatable whether stricter standards really change anything).
And yet, the MapleStory token( $NXPC) is being listed on all major domestic exchanges, while the game itself is essentially blocked in Korea from allowing players to earn tokens—resulting in a situation where only overseas players can actually supply the token.
Ironically, @MaplestoryU could have been the perfect case where Korean users became the largest suppliers of a game token.
In the end, this situation brings to mind the words of the great economist Ludwig von Mises: when regulation meets regulation, it often leads to unintended consequences.
Interesting fact about @MaplestoryU and Korean Bureaucrats
This recent case involving @MaplestoryU 's token listing on Korean exchanges and the Korea's regulation of in-game play once again reminded me of how uniquely complex Korea can be.
1. Since games must not be classified as gambling, Korean regulations strictly prohibit players from earning in-game assets that can be exchanged for value.
2. At the same time, there has been ongoing criticism of Korean users being used merely as a “liquidity exit” for foreign-led crypto projects—so-called “burger coins”—with demands for stricter listing standards (though it’s debatable whether stricter standards really change anything).
And yet, the MapleStory token($NXPC) is being listed on all major domestic exchanges, while the game itself is essentially blocked in Korea from allowing players to earn tokens—resulting in a situation where only overseas players can actually supply the token.
Ironically, @MaplestoryU could have been the perfect case where Korean users became the largest suppliers of a game token.
In the end, this situation brings to mind the words of the great economist Ludwig von Mises: when regulation meets regulation, it often leads to unintended consequences.
I first became aware of @SuiNetwork's technology in early 2022.
I believe I was among the first Korean researchers to discuss Sui.
After Sui launched its mainnet in May 2023, I continuously worked to introduce and promote Sui’s tech in Korea.
From 2024, I began making more substantial research contributions to the Sui ecosystem in English as well.
Last year I participated in Basecamp as an attendee, and this year I was honored to deliver a 15-minute keynote speech as a speaker.
This was my first time giving such a lengthy presentation alone in English, and I was thrilled with the positive reception.
Additionally, we brought 900 copies of the @FourPillarsFP Reports + Brochures (on @SuiNetwork, @WalrusProtocol), which were all distributed over two days.
The response from Sui community has been excellent.
As a research company, it feels like we've reached another milestone.