Ariana Grande, the beloved pop singer, has recently joined the South Korean super-app Weverse. When we talk about super-apps, we usually refer to an application that offers a variety of everyday services such as ordering a cab, food delivery, money transactions, and more. However, Weverse is not your typical super-app. It is actually a superfan platform owned by HYBE, the entertainment company behind the famous K-Pop group BTS.

On Weverse, artists can engage with their followers by posting updates, live streaming events, and even selling merchandise directly to their fans. For instance, BTS member Jin’s live stream on Weverse following his military service attracted over 2 million views in just 10 minutes despite some initial technical difficulties.

Since its launch in 2019, Weverse has seen an average of over 10 million monthly active users in the third quarter of 2023. What’s even more impressive is that nine out of ten Weverse users are located outside of South Korea, demonstrating its global popularity and reach.

The concept of a “traditional” super-app originated in Asia with apps like WeChat in China and Grab in Southeast Asia. These super-apps combine messaging, social media, e-commerce, financial services, and more all in one platform to make users’ digital interactions more seamless. The main goal of these apps is to provide users with a one-stop solution for various services without the need to switch between multiple applications.

By consolidating multiple services into one app, super-apps enable users to perform a wide range of activities such as booking rides, making payments, shopping online, and communicating all within the same platform. Additionally, these apps leverage their large user bases to gather valuable data for refining services, enhancing user experience, and offering personalized recommendations.