In front of the Jeju World Cup Stadium, where the opening ceremony of the 107th National Sports Festival took place on the 16th. The green text reading 'NFT Digital Ticket Information Booth' on a black signboard caught the eye. The area around this Naver Pay booth was bustling with spectators who had gathered to receive NFT (non-fungible token) tickets. It appeared that at least 30 people were present.
Booth staff guided visitors on how to issue tickets using QR codes. NFT tickets could be issued by downloading and logging into the Naver Pay app. The received digital tickets are stored in the 'Npay Wallet.' "It connects easily with just a few touches, so customers did not find it difficult," explained the information staff. Young couples with young children and teenage spectators were the main visitors to the booth. They are a generation more accustomed to digital methods than paper tickets.
Those who issued NFT tickets subsequently entered through a dedicated gate. As the President was in attendance, they could enter the opening ceremony venue after undergoing strict body searches. A total of 12,871 NFT tickets were issued for entry to the opening ceremony that day.
NFT tickets are not used only for entering the opening ceremony. The next day, on the 17th, I visited the Seogwipo City Comprehensive Gymnasium to watch a fencing match. In front of the venue, there was a Naver Pay signboard instructing visitors to "tag your mobile phone."
By bringing a mobile phone close to this NFC tag area, visitors can leave a record of their visit to the venue. It is a way of leaving a trace of the viewing experience on one's mobile phone. In fact, in the Npay Wallet, it was possible to confirm digital art unique to NFTs along with the text 'Seogwipo City Comprehensive Gymnasium 10.17.' On that day alone, 4,400 NFT tickets were verified in this manner across 57 venues in Jeju.
If you verify your attendance at the National Sports Festival with an NFT ticket, you can receive 10,000 worth of 'Tamnan Jeon,' the local currency of Jeju Island. Since it can be received up to two times, this amounts to a total of 20,000 won. The accumulated 'Tamnan Jeon' can be used at franchisees where local currency payments are accepted, such as Jeju Dongmun Market.
Naver Pay can check in real time the number of spectators who visited venues with NFT tickets, as well as their age groups and genders. A Naver Pay official said, "In the case of Local Government, they are most curious about how many people came, at what times, and who they were for such free events," adding, "This data can be utilized for marketing at future events."
The Naver Pay side stated that this NFT project is their first public sector contract with a Local Government, won through the National Public Procurement Service. With this as an opportunity, they plan to continue collaborations with more Local Governments in the future.
Naver Pay is also promoting the integration of NFTs with its offline payment terminal, 'Connect.' This includes issuing coupons in NFT form at franchisees that have installed Connect, or examining the reservation, visit, and consumption flows of NFT ticket holders to utilize them for marketing.
Connect can be easily found at major tourist attractions and local gourmet spots in Jeju Island. Small business owners unanimously testified that store operations became easier and the number of visiting customers increased after adopting Connect.
Lee Ho-jin (CEO) of 'Jeju Jet,' which introduced water jet boats to South Korea for the first time, said, "Since many people come through Naver reservations or Place searches after the installation of Connect, the proportion of individual customers has become much larger than that of group tourists," adding, "At peak times, 3,000 customers visit in a single day, and since customers can write reviews on their own using Connect, it is also convenient for staff."
Lee (CEO) added, "The number of registered reviews increased tenfold after the installation of Connect," and "I recommended the installation to the owner of the neighboring yacht tour business as well."
in FINANCE
