Buy global, Get local

ㆍ‘Bemyfriends’ launched Korea’s first global fandom business due to the expansion of K-POP fandom overseas.

ㆍThe company has established global e-commerce in over 210 countries and is creating international hubs for shipping fan merchandise.

ㆍOther advanced technologies can enhance K-POP culture, similar to how K-POP fans’ love have revolutionized e-commerce.

A delivery from your star has arrived!

Open the package. You received a t-shirt featuring a member of the up-and-coming K-POP girl group ‘H1-KEY.‘ (You are their biggest fan.) You may not realize, but the parcel probably traveled a long way from Korea to reach your hands overseas, either by flight or boat. This is a common practice as the K-POP market continues to expand worldwide. According to a 2023 annual report by U.S. music market analytics firm Luminate, the K-POP market is big business, and fans in the U.S. tend to spend around $24 per month on merchandise alone. These fans want to connect with their favorite artists in various ways, such as streaming, social media, attending performances, and making merchandise purchases.

It’s all about connection

The relationship between fans and stars is a closely-knit one. Fans consume content and merchandise as a means of creating a deeper connection with their favorite artists and creators, while artists receive payment for their work. Bemyfriends, a South Korean startup, swiftly recognized the need for a fandom business and aimed to assist companies in expanding their K-POP fandom overseas, thereby capitalizing on it to penetrate new markets. To begin, they established a reliable global e-commerce and logistics infrastructure, which included payment and shipping systems to over 210 countries worldwide and established global fulfillment centers in South Korea, Japan, and the United States.

Bemyfriends is a platform that connects fans with their favorite stars. They have launched a web-based SaaS solution called ‘b.stage’ which allows content management, fan communities, and gift sales. The e-commerce service of b.stage has the advantage of being able to sell both tangible goods such as merchandise and intangible goods such as memberships, sponsorships, and digital content. The platform supports Web3.0 features such as wallet authentication through NFT and social tokens on the Klaytn and Ethereum blockchains, as well as physical-based e-commerce. Bemyfriends sets up a global sales, payment, and delivery system, allowing clients to sell goods worldwide. Companies with a global fandom can ship and distribute their goods to multiple countries from one shop. (Plus, fans from over 208 countries can enjoy fast delivery as a bonus.)

Everyone is a fan of someone

Of course, It’s not just artists that we can be fans of. We can also be fans of sports stars, models, creators, politicians, hobbies, brands, and more. Bemyfriends is a company that helps people become fans of their favorite things. They work with clients from various fields such as esports, creators, entertainment, and culture and art, not just in the K-POP industry. For instance, the company supports the LA-based esports team, the Sentinels. Fans who sign up for the $5/month membership can enjoy exclusive content such as photos, articles, and behind-the-scenes videos uploaded by the players themselves, as well as purchase official merchandise from the team through b.Stage’s Shop feature. Bemyfriends’ “fandom tech” has expanded from K-POP to international logistics, and it has the potential to enter the mobility environment in the future. Fans may not even have to go to the delivery box in front of their homes to retrieve their packages. In last-mile delivery, a robot or drone could ring your doorbell to deliver your star’s gift, or an AI human with the star’s face could surprise you.