seoul convetion bureau

Took place at L’espace etnah Godeok on September 5 - 7

New type of media art emerged after COVID-19

“Continued hosting” expected as “artists constantly seek opportunities”

Crypto Art Seoul 2023 (CAS 2023), the first-ever offline crypto art festival in Asia took place from September 5 to 7 at L’espace etnah Godeok (Light Room Seoul) under the theme of Hardforking Humanity. The festival was organized by the international conference planning company DoTPlanner, with the participation of 20 partners including Super Chief Gallery NFT. Crypto art is a subfield of media art that utilizes blockchain technology, and CAS 2023 is a new format of media art festival integrating art, technology, and networks.

Even in its inaugural event, CAS 2023 brought together 79 “hot players” from various fields, including the most prominent digital media artists in the current global market, as well as critics, curators, and galleries. In particular, the festival showcased digital art exhibitions, Seoul art tours, and artistic and innovative sessions, including networking parties (Hahoe Mask Dance and Seoul Art Night) through collaborations with various companies such as The Sandbox and Gallery Hyundai.

NAKTA, a leading first-generation domestic crypto artist at the CAS 2023 venue, stated, “I hope this event will become a global event beyond Asia.” Kim Ji-yoon, the CEO of the organizer, DoTPlanner, added, “We will do our best to ensure that CAS becomes a crypto art festival recognized by the global market.”

The city of Seoul selected CAS as the “S-BIC Incubation Support Project” in May which is aimed at fostering CAS as an international event representing Seoul, and has committed to supporting its globalization for five years until 2027.

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S-BIC Incubation Support Project

S-BIC stands for Seoul-Based International Conference which is a project dedicated to fostering Seoul-based international conference as the name suggests. Based on a long-term partnership with international conference planning agencies and hosting organizations located in Seoul, the Seoul MICE coexistence model successfully achieves the internationalization of domestic conferences, leading to the enhancement of the international conference industry ecosystem. The Seoul Tourism Organization selects the city’s unique global international conferences and hosting PCOs through S-BIC, and provides support in stages for five years through annual evaluations to accomplish gradual globalization.

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[INTERVIEW] Kim Ji-yoon and Kim Do-hyun, Co-Presidents of DoTPlanner, the planning and organization agency of CAS 2023

“Promoting the host city Seoul to the world and contributing to the expansion of the crypto art ecosystem”

Participants found Hahoe mask dance performance “amazing”

Promoting K-culture and reflecting “anonymity” of crypto art

“Embedding ‘Korea’ in the growing media art”

The planning and organizing agency of CAS 2023, DoTPlanner, is an international conference planning company that introduced crypto art to Korea in a global convention event for the first time. The two co-presidents, Kim Ji-yoon and Kim Do-hyun, have gained attention for their innovative planning skills in the domestic PCO scene.

We asked the two co-presidents the following questions: What was the key to the successful implementation of the crypto art concept in the event venue and the immersion of participants in the conference, exhibition, event, and tours? Why was CAS selected for the “S-BIC Incubation Support Project”?

- Tell us about the CAS.

(Ji-yoon Kim) “Crypto Art Seoul is the first and largest offline crypto art festival in Asia. It is an event designed to spotlight technology-based art, as well as art with a cyberpunk spirit, and to increase awareness of crypto art through community discourse. The festival incorporates conferences, art exhibitions, parties, art tours, and more.”

- What did you focus on the most in this year’s event?

(Ji-yoon Kim) “The emphasis was placed on creating a memorable experience at the intersection of crypto and art. Considering the nature of the event, a diverse range of speakers was invited to highlight the connection of Web3 technology and the art scene, while also demonstrating various aspects of crypto art. It seems that a rich discourse was made possible owing to this approach.”

- What made CAS 2023 more unique and novel than ever?

(Do-hyun Kim) “I would like to highlight the encounter between 'crypto art,' a new domain in the global art scene, and the most classic 'Korean philosophy.' Especially, the Hahoe Mask Dance was a unique aspect of CAS, where participants wearing masks and traditional Korean clothing engage in anonymous discussions followed by mask dance performances.”

- How is CAS related to the MICE industry?

(Ji-yoon Kim) “The MICE industry is a platform industry that fosters a single sector and builds an ecosystem. In this regard, I can assure that CAS will provide a unique experience for everyone who finds crypto art intriguing, thus creating an opportunity for them to remember Seoul easily.”

-CAS has been selected for S-BIC Support Project.

(Do-hyun Kim) “Seoul has the basic infrastructure for crypto, and it recently gained attention in the art scene last year when one of the world's top three art fairs, Frieze, was hosted in the city. Also, K-content is coming through more in the digital world, and has plenty of potential to lead this market. There is no better place than Seoul for crypto and art to come together.”

- To what extent did you get support from S-BIC in terms of preparation and operation of the event?

(Do-hyun Kim) “The fact that being selected for S-BIC instilled trust in the event's potential from partners and sponsors. Receiving consultations on potential concerns during the event preparation process was a significant help. For instance, considering community-centered business models in the business model category was a valuable gain. In particular, the active support and trust from the city of Seoul in our event planning is definitely worth mentioning. PCOs looking to plan their own events are strongly recommended to utilize S-BIC for the support.”

- In what perspective will you collaborate with the city of Seoul?

(Ji-yoon Kim) “Our goal is to hold the foremost and largest crypto art festival in Asia. We hope to have more opportunities for active collaboration at home and abroad. In the second to third years of S-BIC, we plan to create events inviting the general public, and in the fourth to fifth years, our goal is to organize a global event attracting people from around the globe every year.”