✨ K-Content: Now at the Center of Investment and Consumption.
The Netflix animated film *K-Pop Demon Hunters* topped the global viewership charts, accumulating a total of 220.8 million viewing hours. The OST track “Golden” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Along with this, virtual idol groups and idols created through fan-participation projects are also achieving success in the global market. Recently, one virtual idol group surpassed 1 million copies in first-week sales of their debut album and 500 million cumulative views on YouTube.
In this way, K-content is becoming a major force that connects culture and consumption in the daily lives of fans around the world. In fact, according to data compiled by a Korean startup investment database platform, domestic and international investors have invested approximately 67.7 billion won in K-pop entertainment startups as of 2025. This represents an increase of more than 225% from the 20.8 billion won invested during the same period in 2020.
Source: National Museum of Korea
In addition, the traditional Korean culture featured in the film has garnered an enthusiastic response worldwide. The number of foreign visitors enjoying Korea’s cultural heritage has also surged. This summer, the number of visitors to museums and temples rose significantly compared to last year, with visits to the National Museum of Korea increasing by 122.7%.
At the same time, sales of cultural merchandise—known as “Museum+Goods” (Muz)—continued their rapid growth, reaching 11.5 billion won in the first half of this year alone. The online store attracted 260,000 daily visitors, and merchandise featuring traditional motifs such as magpies and tigers sold out immediately upon restocking.
🐯 Making a tiger and a magpie
This craze for traditional culture is also leading to new crowdfunding projects Wadiz.
Makers are capturing the attention of fans by reimagining traditional themes and characters in a modern way. A prime example of this is the Ho Jak Do DIY paper toy kit.
What is Hoakdo?
"Hojakdo" is a folk painting depicting a tiger—symbolizing power and dignity—and a magpie—symbolizing good fortune. It is a representative folk painting from the Joseon Dynasty that was traditionally hung on doors to ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune to the household in the New Year.
The tigerfrom traditional Korean folk art, which gained attention through *K-Pop Demon Hunters* ,is well known as a guardian of the home, while the magpieis regarded as an auspicious bird that brings joy and good fortune.
The "Ho-jak-do," which features these two symbols, has long been cherished as a painting that wards off evil spirits and brings good news.
With this paper toy kit, you can enjoy a tiger without the hassle of cutting and gluing.
An easy and simple assembly method where you just tear off the paper and snap it into place—no cutting required (Source: Wadiz crowdfunding page)
DIY Paper has given this traditional concept a modern twist. While the process is simple—simply tear and assemble the paper without the need for cutting or gluing—it captures the vivid details and three-dimensional curves of the tiger and magpie.
The response was enthusiastic even before the funding campaign launched. A whopping 725 supporters signed up for launch notifications, generating significant buzz even before the official release. What appealed to supporters was the opportunity to go beyond a simple toy and actually create a symbol of Korean folk art that they could enjoy in their daily lives.
🃏 Discover Korean cultural heritage with every turn of the page
Efforts to reinterpret tradition in new ways continue to emerge. One such initiative has garnered attention for its unique concept, which goes beyond simple play to allow people to naturally connect with Korea’s cultural heritage while playing games.
This is the "K-Poker Card Series" from Design Ga-anchae, a company that has specialized in creating products based on traditional culture for over 10 years. It incorporates Korea's cultural heritage into a card game.
Traditional folk paintings on K-Poker cards (Source: Wadiz funding details page)
Comprising a total of five series, these poker cards feature cultural treasures that we’ve typically only seen in museums—such as auspicious motifs from folk paintings, Sungnyemun (National Treasure No. 1), and Shin Yun-bok’s “Dance of the Twin Swords”—each depicted on a single card. As you flip through the cards, you’ll do more than just enjoy a game; you’ll also experience the beauty and wisdom of our history.
The campaign achieved a staggering 2,718% of its funding goal and received an explosive response, with the entire stock of single-item collector’s cards selling out on the very first day. It continues to enjoy steady popularity, with additional stock being released in response to requests from backers.
English description of the cultural heritage included with the card (Source: Wadiz funding details page)
In particular, since each card includes instructions in both Korean and English, making them accessible to both locals and foreigners alike, they are gaining attention as a global item that promotes Korea’s cultural heritage.
🌟 Why is it getting so much attention?
K-content fans no longer want to simply listen to K-pop or watch movies; they want to enjoy it in a wider variety of ways.
In this process, crowdfunding projects serve as a key platform. Makers reinterpret traditional culture into modern products and present them to supporters, who in turn consume K-culture in new ways.
Ultimately, this creates a virtuous cycle in which the scalability of K-content and the value of K-heritage reinforce each other and drive mutual growth.
👣 Wadiz: Connecting the value of creativity with the world
With K-content gaining global attention, Wadizis going beyond a mere funding platform to create a space that connects creators with their fans.
"Wadiz Mu-ji-eom 2025," a large-scale art and culture fair for creators (October 23–November 5)
The stage kicks offwith “Muji-eom 2025,”a large-scale art and culture fair running for two weeks starting October 23. Under the concept of an “exhibition without discrimination, boundaries, or barriers,” we have prepared an open platform where anyone—from emerging artists to established masters—can participate across various fields, including art, publishing, and e-books.
Wadizwill continue to provide comprehensive support—including funding, marketing, and global connections—to help Korean makers reach fans around the world.
👉 Now, as K-content captures the world’s attention, come cheer on the creators you love from the front row.
“Discover your own K-culture through Wadiz crowdfunding.”
