Built by Fans, for Fans

How Weverse is redefining fan engagement

According to Goldman Sachs, one in five music listeners in the US is considered a “superfan” of at least one artist. These superfans are estimated to add $6.6B to the music industry’s revenues by 2035, which represents a 21% uplift to paid streaming revenues. Compared to average music fans, superfans spend more on live entertainment, merch and experiences. Their importance, however, surpasses mere economic value. Superfans often act as organic ambassadors, creating content and community for artists and brands in an engaging and authentic way, while also shaping and driving key cultural trends.

Superfans can be found across a variety of industries and content formats. However, no one does superfandom better than K-pop. K-pop superfans are passionate supporters who buy merchandise in bulk, continuously stream new singles, and travel long distances for the opportunity to see their favorite artist in person. However, what makes K-pop unique is not the style of music itself, but rather the innate focus on developing superfans who facilitate community, loyalty, and cultural movements that transcend borders and generations. 

Globally, superfans, as well as casual fans, have access to more content these days than ever - more music, more videos, more offline events, and more ways to consume. Historically, fans have consumed content across a variety of platforms: TikTok for short form videos, YouTube for full vlogs, Twitch for livestreams, and Instagram for photos. Each platform hosts its own unique community, with separate sets of norms and behaviors. This fragments what could be a single, cohesive relationship between artist and fan, and limits artists from having full insight into their fan ecosystem.

Weverse is a social media app pioneered by HYBE, the music company behind acts such as BTS and Katseye, that has emerged as a central hub for superfans. On Weverse, fans can tune into their favorite artist’s livestream, buy merch from their merch store, scroll a feed of posts from fellow fans or even the artist, or even participate in a listening party together. Not only does this benefit fans, it allows artists to own more of their fan ecosystem and access richer data on their community. Weverse was recently named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2026, a recognition of its commitment to authentic and comprehensive fan engagement. 

Weverse President Joon Choi, in a visit to HBS, emphasized that the app's expansive offerings are the byproduct of many years of studying the fan’s needs. Choi expressed that the goal has always been to understand the fandom experience, learn about fans' pain points, and identify how Weverse can provide solutions. So what can businesses across industries learn from a company that turned fandom into a growth strategy?

Community as a business model

From its founding, Weverse’s goal has always been to facilitate community first and let revenue follow, operating on the belief that the two are not in tension. “A community that provides a genuine sense of belonging and one that generates revenue are not necessarily in a trade-off situation,” Choi stated. With intentional design, fans can get the experience they want, while naturally contributing to the sustainable growth of artists, labels, and the platform itself.

For any company building a consumer community, that framing is important to keep at the forefront of strategy. Fans and consumers will spend generously on platforms they trust within communities they feel committed to. With trust built, fans don’t feel monetized; they feel like they’re investing in something they love, within a community that values them.

Start narrow and expand intentionally

Weverse didn’t launch with a grand vision to be a one-stop “super app” for fandom. It started by selling merch, described by Choi as the lowest hanging fruit, and added community features only after recognizing that merch alone did not best serve the fan community. Livestreaming, listening parties, and virtual queues for purchasing merch were some of the features Weverse launched after identifying pain points within the fan community. “Make it sharp, pick your lane, focus on it, and expand from there” was the advice Choi shared. 

IP as a Moat

When asked what traditional entertainment companies could learn from Weverse, Choi expressed that the distinction is in their approach to IP. Traditional music labels who think of themselves as purely music distributors will optimize for streams and catalog size. Entertainment and media companies who understand the importance of IP will invest in story, identity, and emotional connection to consumers.

This is something K-pop has gotten right for years. The elaborate lore, fandom names, lightstick designs, fanchants, and more all add to the narrative surrounding these artists. They give fans something to belong to, not just music to listen to. Weverse’s role is to be a home for that feeling.

What’s Next for Weverse

As for where Weverse goes from here, its roadmap extends well beyond music. Superfans exist across every corner of culture - across sports, film, gaming, consumer brands - and most of them still lack a comprehensive platform that truly understands their needs. While K-pop was the initial proving ground for Weverse, the platform has already begun expanding into new verticals. The sky is the limit when it comes to which communities it will serve next. 

In an era where attention is fragmented and brand loyalty is increasingly hard to earn, superfans remain one of the few audiences that don’t need to be chased, they just need a place to belong.

Zoe Willis (MBA '26) grew up in Lacey, Washington. She holds a Bachelor's in Business Administration from the University of Southern California. Before HBS, she worked at Twitch, where she led efforts to grow the platform's music ecosystem.