The K-pop industry has always been good at making money from fan- artist relationships. In the past, merchandise and albums were only available through third party websites, and official fan communities were hosted on Korean language forums.
In the past three years, a handful of platforms have bubbled up to deliver monetized exclusives and the ability to message your favorite artist directly for a fee. Fans are willing to pay for content from their idols despite the fact that K-pop artists frequently update their social media accounts. One-stop shops for merchandise, original video content, fan-to-fan interaction, and exclusive posts from the artists themselves are now available in the best apps.
The content of more than 100 acts is hosted by the three main players. We looked at their features, pricing, pros and cons, and compared them to newer, more niche apps.
WeVerse is easy to use and offers much of its content for free. Credit: Mashable Composite; WeVerse
Weverse is a mobile app and website that is owned and operated by HYBE Entertainment. It has exclusive free and paid content for 63 acts from HYBE, YG Entertainment, and small and independent labels. The app has more than 6 million users a month. WeVerse is the most robust fan community app on the market.
Fans can join a free community for their favorite artist where they can post, comment, and see exclusive photos, videos, and text updates from the artists themselves. A home feed combines posts from the artists you follow with suggestions from other artists to promote discovery, while a notification tab lets you switch between posts from one artist at a time. The official merchandise and fan memberships can be found in the Weverse Shop. As a result of the merger with V Live, a live streaming feature has recently been added.
The most comprehensive and easy-to-use platform on this list is WeVerse, it covers merchandise, original content, and fan-to-fan and fan- artist interaction. The HYBE artists seem to let loose a bit more, showing off their personality in posts, comments, and pictures.
If you're a fan of a WeVerse artist, you'll have to create an account and download the app at some point since most of their merchandise and content isn't available elsewhere. There seems to be some content in the home feed, but a lack of moderation of fan-made posts on the site has led to rampant racism. The lack of accountability is due to the fact that users can choose a different display name in each community.
It is free to download and paid for.
Some of the content on Universe's Discover feed is free, but you may need to buy Universe currency to access certain features. Credit: Mashable Composite; Universe/ NCSoft
The Universe uses the resources of a leading video game developer. There was a lot of original content when Universe launched in January of 2022.
Fans are able to join communities for free. Text and video can be posted in their planets, but photos seem to be the most popular. Universe is similar to WeVerse in that it offers exclusive subscription and merchandise. The app uses artificial intelligence to read artist's posts in their voices. Direct message artists can't reply to a fan directly, but they can see the messages in a large group chat and reply to the rest of the group.
It is cool to hear an artist talk in their own voice. The original content of Universe is very popular.
Universe was originally clunky and reliant on scary features when it was launched. It can be hard to understand how to use it. Fans have created guide videos to help other fans understand the complex currency system of the app. If you're a fan of a Universe artist, you will have to create an account and download the app at some point since most of their content isn't available elsewhere.
You can download, watch, and see artist posts for free. There are three types of currency in the Universe: Klap, Love, and Raffle tickets. You can't pay for everything. You can purchase a bundle of these currencies on the app for as little as 99 cents.
On Bubble for JYP, all content is locked behind a paywall. Credit: Mashable Composite; Dear U Co./ Bubble for JYP
SM Entertainment created Bubble to connect with their fans. The Bubble app for SM groups is called "Lyn", and the company has also created an app for JYP Entertainment artists called "JYP Bubble." Fans pay to get access to an artist's bubble and view exclusive content from their favorite artist.
You can view and download artist's photos, videos, and audio notes once you pay for their service. You can send messages to that artist, but they are limited to three at a time and a character count that is related to how long you've been on the app: 30 characters for the first 49 days, 50 characters after, and so on. Artists can see these messages in a large group chat, but can't reply to a fan directly. The user interface looks like a conversation between you and the artist. There is a live streaming feature in Bubble.
There are pros and cons to paying for content that won't be available elsewhere. Bubble content is shared by fans but is it legal and frowned upon by other fans?
It doesn't produce original content, it doesn't facilitate fan-to-fan interaction, or it doesn't give access to a store. You have to pay to get access to the content. It's one-sided when communicating with an artist. When an artist writes "I had a salad earlier!" you won't know if they saw your question or are just telling fans about their day. Some fans think they don't mind. The translation feature isn't always accurate and has led to some confusion.
One month's access to a single artist's Bubble is granted with each ticket, but you'll need to purchase one, two, or three to get it.
Phoning's Y2K-tastic home page offers free messages from New Jeans and other goodies like a virtual album decorating feature. Credit: Mashable Composite; WeVerse/ Phoning
As part of the pre- album release roll out of NewJeans, the company announced the group would have their own app instead of joining their label mates on WeVerse. The look of the debut album and the current obsession with Y2K nostalgia complement the theme of Phoning.
The members of NewJeans appear in a contact list with the app. Live streams appear as a call from a member, which you can pick up to watch as they happen or tune in on demand later. In a group chat, members send and receive messages and pictures for about 20 minutes a day. Fans can't message the members directly, but they can watch the messages roll in. There is a calendar of the group events, a photo gallery, a virtual try-on feature, a virtual album-decorating feature, and a bunch of other fun freebies.
The modern take on Y2K aesthetic feels like an extension of NewJeans' music. Its features are free and unique, so you won't find them elsewhere.
The 1999 slow is a cons. navigation and pages can take a while to load. It is not possible to talk to other fans through the app. There are hundreds of daily notifications when notification settings are turned off and on. You have to decide between no notifications or dozens.
Downloads and use are free.
You'll only be able to see the most basic info for your faves on Fab, unless you want to buy a post for 10 points. Credit: Mashable Composite; NEOWIZ Lab
Fab was founded in February 2022, with Loona as its first artist. Group Nine.i was added in March.
The members of Loona are considered seperate artists in the app. There are nine posts as a group. All other posts are hidden behind a paywall, even though they are free to view.
There are pros and cons to paying for content that won't be available elsewhere. This is the app you need to be on if you are a fan of NINE.i.
If you're not a fan of Fab, this isn't the app for you. There is no way to connect with other fans, no original content, and no store.
Each post costs 10 points to view and can be downloaded for free. You can either purchase points or watch ads and earn points.
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