– A 367% increase compared to the average weekly transaction volume in the second quarter… Funding by category: △Musical Instruments & Music 68% △Performances & Festivals 20%
– “Lava Smart Guitar,” which has fans in 78 countries worldwide, surpassed 100 million won within 30 minutes of launching Wadiz … Campaign runs through September 22
– Wadiz: “We will showcase diverse projects with musical instrument manufacturers seeking new distribution channels”
Smart guitars, which even beginners can easily enjoy, are currently enjoying a boom on crowdfunding platforms.
Wadizcrowdfunding platform Wadizrecently announced that, following a string of successful “musical instrument” projects in the hobby category, the average weekly transaction volume in the film and music categories rose by 367% compared to the second quarter.
During the vacation season in July and August, the number of transactions in the movies and music categories surged to over 900—a 2.5-fold increase compared to the same period last year—marking a steep growth trend. By category, ▲ musical instruments and music accounted for the largest share at 68%, followed by ▲ performances and festivals (20%) and ▲ movies (13%).
While the musical instrument industry focused on indoor use has seen a decline in sales due to the increase in outdoor activities following the end of the pandemic, high-end instruments—such as smart guitars—that appeal to a dedicated fan base are gaining popularity, particularly through crowdfunding platforms that allow for early assessment of market response. In particular, instruments that are easy to play and can be learned independently are attracting attention.
The “Lava Smart Guitar,” which began accepting pre-orders on August 29, surpassed 100 million won within 30 minutes of its launch and claimed the top spot on Wadiz real-time rankings. With approximately 300 people simultaneously flocking to this high-end smart guitar—priced between 1 and 2 million won—it has now surpassed 200 million won in funding, reaching 4,261% of its original goal.
The Lava Start Guitar features built-in tuning, sheet music, and effects such as drum sessions, allowing users to play freely on their own. In particular, Lava Music—which has users in 78 countries worldwide—made its official launch in Korea Wadiz, and the market response has been described as enthusiastic.
Lee Chan, CEO of Johnbird, which launched the Lava Smart Guitar, said, “We confidently unveiled this product because we developed the world’s first smart carbon guitar equipped with a touchscreen and demonstrated strong competitiveness on global platforms such as Amazon. Through Wadiz, we were able to confirm the potential of the Korean market.”
As new initiatives continue to emerge in the hobby sector—including musical instruments and music—Wadizplans to expand its funding support for the creative industry. A Wadiz representative said, “We will showcase a variety of projects by musical instrument makers who feel limited by the existing market and want to explore new distribution channels.”
