Handwriting, Ballet... Gen MZ Exploring Hobbies on Wadiz, 'Class' Funding Up 49% YoY
Handwriting, Ballet... Gen MZ Exploring Hobbies on Wadiz, 'Class' Funding Up 49% YoY
- Jan-Feb 2025 Self-Development & Hobby Funding Increased 49% YoY
- Self-Development Category Supporters Surged 2.5x Compared to Same Period Last Year
- 'Hobby Consumers' Flock to Diverse Classes Including Handwriting, Ballet, and Illustration
Handwriting, ballet, and illustration—Wadiz's unique classes are gaining popularity among so-called 'hobby consumers' (a portmanteau of 'hobby' and 'consumer') actively exploring their interests.
Wadiz, a crowdfunding platform store, announced that self-development and hobby category funding increased 49% in January-February 2025 compared to the same period last year.
The growth in self-development funding has continued since last year. Looking at projects launched in the e-books and classes categories in 2024, self-development accounted for 27%, classes 11%, and hobbies 4%, totaling over 40% of the share. Funding amounts also increased 67% compared to the same period last year.
In January-February 2025, as supporters began looking for hobbies for new challenges at the start of the year, the number of supporters participating in self-development categories increased more than 2.5 times compared to the same period last year.
Notable examples include the <Handwriting Class> taught directly by the creator of 'Mizkkotche,' a font selected by Forbes, which achieved 400 million won in funding in just 4 days and surpassed 500 million won in less than 2 weeks, generating explosive response. The <Interval Ballet Fit> online classes taught by a 20-year veteran ballet coach also attracted 900 students and successfully raised 230 million won in funding, drawing attention.
The <iPad Drawing> funding presented by illustrator 'Neulgrim' achieved cumulative fundraising of 180 million won through differentiated curriculum and reward composition. By showcasing oil painting brushes and canvases that capture the delicate sensibilities unique to analog media, it has garnered popularity from beginners to professional artists alike, ranking 1st among all art projects this year.
A Wadiz spokesperson said, "As consumers increasingly value finding their own tastes and investing in them, interest in unique hobbies and self-development related classes on Wadiz is growing." They added, "With this positive response, we have various expert classes this year as well, and Wadiz plans to actively showcase classes that can meet supporters' needs for novelty and add special touches to their daily lives."