Screenshot of the Clubs tab showing Aespa and Red Velvet as clubs already joined by the user, with NCT Dream and NCT 127 shown on the Discover section of the tab
Kwangya Club (Korean: 광야클럽; stylized in all caps) was a Korean mobile application created by South Korean company SM Brand Marketing, a subsidiary of SM Entertainment. It provided a membership-based official fan club service that offered different community services for SM artists. The application was the first service provided by the metaverse brand, Kwangya. The platform was fully operational on September 1, 2022, after its pilot operations in July. It shut down on September 11, 2023, with all its users moving to Weverse.
Development
It was announced that SM Entertainment would open Kwangya Club, a fan community application and among the first services offered by the metaverse brand, Kwangya.[1] The application would be operated by SM Brand Marketing, a subsidiary of SM.[2]Artists from the company will be firstly employing the service.[3] Additional K-pop artists and celebrities are also planned for future inclusion in the service.[4] It is scheduled to be operational by September after its beta service for two months, starting from July 2022.[5] Before the official launch of the service, SM artists will be consecutively recruited from June 23, 2022, beginning with NCT Dream and Aespa, where related details can be located through the artists' official social media accounts.[6][7] SM's intention for the service production is to introduce the future metaverse entertainment world with the brand, Kwangya.[8] This will symbolize the company's metaversal origin story of SM Culture Universe (SMCU), considered the core value and vision of future entertainment.[9]
On April 14, 2023, according to entertainment industry insiders, it had been agreed that SM Entertainment artists will join Weverse and Kwangya Club's service will be transferred to the platform.[10] On April 17, 2023 SM Entertainment confirmed these rumours.[11][12] Kwangya Club shut down on September 11, 2023, with all its artists moving to Weverse the following day.[13]
Features and tools
Kwangya Club was a membership-based official fan club service that delivered different community services for various K-pop artists and celebrity fans locally and internationally.[14] The service recruited free membership (Basic) and annual paid membership (Ace), which received particular benefits related to various services offered under the Kwangya brand.[15] All names and groups listed would be part of the offered service.[16]
^Kim, No-eul (June 23, 2022). SM, 7월 팬 커뮤니티 '광야 클럽' 문 연다…미래 엔터 세상 [SM, To Open Fan Community 'Kwangya Club' in July…Future Entertainment World]. Xports News (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Yoo, Byung-cheol (June 23, 2022). SM, 메타버스 브랜드 광야 첫 번째 서비스…팬 커뮤니티 '광야 클럽' 7월 오픈 [SM, Metaverse Brand Kwangya First Service…Fan Community 'Kwangya Club' Opens in July]. Korea Economic TV (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Lee, Seung-hoon (June 23, 2022). "광야로 걸어가"..SM, 팬 커뮤니티 '광야(KWANGYA) 클럽' 7월 오픈[공식] ["I walk to Kwangya"..SM, Fan Community 'KWANGYA Club' Opens in July [Official]]. Osen (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Lee, Seul-gi (June 23, 2022). SM 아이돌, 메타버스 브랜드 '광야'에서 만난다…광야 클럽 오픈 [SM Idol, Meets at Metaverse Brand 'Kwangya'…Kwangya Club Open]. Newsen (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Lee, Mi-young (June 23, 2022). SM, 메타버스 브랜드 '광야' 첫 서비스…팬커뮤니티 7월 오픈 [SM, Metaverse Brand 'Kwangya' First Service…Fan Community Opens in July]. JoyNews24 (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Yoon, Ga-i (June 23, 2022). 누구랑 뛰놀래? SM, 메타버스 팬커뮤니티 '광야 클럽' 개장 [Who Do You Want to Play With? SM Opens Metaverse Fan Community 'Kwangya Club']. MTN News (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 4, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Yoon, Seon-kyo (June 23, 2022). SM, 메타버스 브랜드 '광야' 첫 번째 서비스 '광야 클럽' 7월 오픈 [SM, Metaverse Brand 'Kwangya' Opens Its First Service 'Kwangya Club' in July]. Single List (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Yoon, Gi-baek (June 23, 2022). SM 메타버스 브랜드 '광야 클럽', 7월 오픈 [SM Metaverse Brand 'Kwangya Club', Opens in July]. Edaily (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^"[단독] SM 아티스트, 위버스 입점한다…플랫폼 협업 가시화" [[Exclusive] SM Artists to join Weverse… Platform collaboration visualization]. Nate (in Korean). Retrieved April 14, 2023.
^Jang, In-young (June 23, 2022). SM, 팬 커뮤니티 '광야 클럽' 7월 오픈…메타버스 브랜드 확장 [SM, Opens Fan Community 'Kwangya Club' in July…Expanding the Metaverse]. Newsis (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Park, Yoon-jin (June 23, 2022). SM, 팬 커뮤니티 '광야 클럽'…7월 문 연다 [SM, Fan Community 'Kwangya Club'…Opens in July]. MyDaily (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
^Choi, Jeong-ah (June 23, 2022). SM엔터테인먼트 메타버스 브랜드 광야, 팬 커뮤니티 7월 오픈 [SM Entertainment Metaverse Brand Kwangya, Fan Community Opens in July]. Sports World (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
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