“Let’s create an offline space”
Why did Wadizneed a physical space?
In 2013, Wadizbegan showcasing a wide variety of crowdfunding projects online. Every week and every month, Wadizfeatured funding campaigns across diverse categories, from food to IT. While introducing new makers and projects was incredibly rewarding and enjoyable, as time went on, we began to face some challenges.
“Do people really understand crowdfunding?”
“Will the stories of makers with strong values resonate with people?”
Since many people have only experienced “crowdfunding” online, it has been difficult for them to fully appreciate its appeal. Crowdfunding is a culture created by the stories of makers embarking on new challenges through Wadizand the supporters who back them. Even a single reward product embodies not just “functionality,” but the “value” we’ve always needed in our daily lives.
We felt that what Wadizneeded to bring this funding to a wider audience was an offline experience.
Wadizraison d’être, born from countless deliberations
A platform that embraces diversity and helps create a better world by fostering the birth and growth of previously unseen value
While many people have supported these invisible possibilities in the past, relying solely on someone’s story and values, we now need to focus on transparency and connection rather than raising the bar to create more opportunities.
In the end, we decided to create a space where makers could personally demonstrate and explain their products in person, and where supporters could discover something new in their daily lives.
Let’s find a space that reflects who we are and Wadiz
The first thing I did after deciding to create a physical space was to open a map app. Then I started placing pins here and there.
While the online world can exist anytime, anywhere, the offline world is limited to specific locations. That’s why we needed a place that truly embodiedWadiz—its diversity, innovation, and sense of community.
While we were discussing various neighborhoods—from the sophisticated and upscale Gangnam to the trendy and fashion-forward Hongdae—someone mentioned “Seongsu.”
What comes to mind when you think of Seongsu? A run-down, shabby neighborhood. A place crammed with old factories. But it’s also a place where new and diverse things are constantly emerging. Seongsu is a neighborhood where people gather not just to follow trends, but to seek out something unique with their own sense of style and discernment.
Above all, it was the perfect space for makers embarking on new challenges and supporters seeking new discoveries.
Seongsu: Bringing Our Color Wadizthe WadizSpace
After arriving in Seongsu, we passed by countless buildings before finally coming across the old printing plant Wadiznow Wadiz. Every corner of the building was steeped in the history of a printing plant, with features that had been there for years—from the spacious courtyard where forklifts could maneuver to the areas where stacks of paper were piled high and moved around. The more we explored the space, the more convinced we became that this was the perfect place to embody Wadizand the reason we chose the Seongsu neighborhood.
Once we found a space we liked, another challenge arose. We had to figure out how to blend the unique character of Seongsu with Wadiz—without completely gutting the building—to preserve that Seongsu vibe.
Since this is Wadizfirst physical space, our top priority was to create a venue that embodies the diversity at the heart of Wadizmission: to be a platform where anyone can feel comfortable doing whatever they want. After all, if a space tries too hard to be “hip” or has an overly strong personality, it can sometimes make people feel like they have to dress up to fit in—and that can actually be off-putting.
What Wadizis Creating
No matter how much someone tries to explain what an apple is like, nothing beats seeing one in person. That’s why it was important for us to create an offline space where you could experience the various crowdfunding products you’ve seen online and hear directly from the makers. We wanted to put your mind at ease and resolve any concerns you might have had all at once!
“I hope Wadizbecomes a space where anyone can feel comfortable and easily come to explore.
I hope it becomes a space where people can gain inspiration by experiencing ideas and products being unveiled to the world for the first time, and find the motivation to apply those insights to their own lives.
– Kim Do-hee, BX Team”
Today, Wadizadiz, we continue to welcome visitors—both makers showcasing their innovative reward-based products and supporters looking to discover something new in their daily lives.
Since Wadizrole is to continue sharing stories and bringing a fresh perspective to the familiar, come discover a variety of stories in Seongsu today!
