{"id":"seonik-jeon","title":"Seonik Jeon","content":"**Seonik Jeon** is a South Korean entrepreneur known as the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of FACTBLOCK, a [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) ecosystem builder, and the founder of [Korea Blockchain Week](https://iq.wiki/wiki/korea-blockchain-week-kbw), a major annual [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) conference held in Seoul. He is also the vice chairman of the Financial News Media Group. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-C5ho7KYaTe) [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-S1RHoyQyh3)\n\n## Education\n\nJeon attended California State University, Long Beach, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems in 2014. He later continued his education at Korea University, where he completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2016. [\\[6\\]](#cite-id-Q91JiY93Yb)\n\n## Career\n\nJeon began his career in journalism at The Financial News, where he was appointed Tokyo bureau chief in January 2012. Later that year, he became the chief executive officer of the publication, a role he maintained until January 2023. In June 2022, he was appointed vice chairman of the Financial News Media Group, a position he continues to hold.\n\nIn March 2018, Jeon founded FactBlock in Seoul, focusing on the developing [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) industry, and has served as its CEO since its inception. During this period, he also co-founded [Cointelegraph](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cointelegraph) Korea, where he was co-CEO from August 2019 to September 2020. His work through FACTBLOCK led to the establishment of [Korea Blockchain Week](https://iq.wiki/wiki/korea-blockchain-week-kbw) in 2018. [\\[7\\]](#cite-id-spvTYXX2Df)\n\n### FACTBLOCK\n\n![](https://ipfs.everipedia.org/ipfs/QmezRMGmaG5HAWAuXbQJNJPuRG5L2d3d6zW7a9mDrB5HVU)\n\nFACTBLOCK was founded by Jeon in 2018 with the stated mission of building the [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) ecosystem by reducing information disparities within the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) industry. The company aims to connect international [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) enterprises with the Korean market while promoting domestic companies on a global scale. In addition to consulting and advisory services, FACTBLOCK's primary initiative is organizing [Korea Blockchain Week (KBW)](https://iq.wiki/wiki/korea-blockchain-week-kbw). [\\[3\\]](#cite-id-K7HDHHGJ4h)\n\n### Korea Blockchain Week\n\n![](https://ipfs.everipedia.org/ipfs/Qmc7B7CzAspLTTgGzFanF6ACpkuVJAC8e13iyiJwzawcuc)\n\nJeon has stated that his experience studying in the United States and observing the lack of major global industry events in South Korea motivated him to establish [KBW](https://iq.wiki/wiki/korea-blockchain-week-kbw). The event, first held in 2018, has since grown from a small gathering into a large-scale international festival. It features a main flagship conference, IMPACT, which serves as a central forum for industry leaders to deliver keynotes and participate in panel discussions. The week-long event also includes numerous side events, project exhibitions, and networking opportunities across Seoul. KBW integrates cultural elements such as music and art, positioning it as both an industry conference and a cultural festival. [\\[1\\]](#cite-id-C5ho7KYaTe) [\\[4\\]](#cite-id-zpZI6QxXfo)\n\n## Interviews\n\n### Korea Blockchain Week\n\nIn an interview during [Korea Blockchain Week](https://iq.wiki/wiki/korea-blockchain-week-kbw) in November 2024, Jeon discussed the event's origins and his perspective on the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) industry. He recounted that after seven years, [KBW](https://iq.wiki/wiki/korea-blockchain-week-kbw) had evolved from a simple conference into a global festival with over 300 side events. Jeon distinguished between AI and [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain), describing AI as a technology that directly transforms daily life, while viewing [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) as a critical underlying infrastructure.\n\nHe commented on the rapid adoption of global trends in the Korean market, particularly the high level of interest and trading volume in [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain). Jeon noted that in emerging markets, startups are often better positioned to innovate than large enterprises, which may later collaborate with or acquire successful startups as the market matures. He also stressed the importance of government regulations to protect investors as the [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) sector expands. [\\[2\\]](#cite-id-S1RHoyQyh3)\n\n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](https://youtube.com/watch?v=vPrhyPCL58U)$$\n\n## Presentations\n\n### Fablo Platform Keynote\n\nDuring a keynote presentation at [Korea Blockchain Week](https://iq.wiki/wiki/korea-blockchain-week-kbw) in November 2024, Jeon addressed the challenges of broader [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) adoption in South Korea. He pointed to a significant knowledge gap among local [cryptocurrency](https://iq.wiki/wiki/cryptocurrency) participants, stating that of approximately 6.5 million traders, only 1.6 million were active, and just 880,000 were proficient in conducting on-chain transactions. He argued that the technical jargon and complex user interfaces common in [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) often deter mainstream users.\n\nTo address these issues, Jeon introduced Fablo, a [Web3](https://iq.wiki/wiki/web3) reward application developed by FACTBLOCK. He described the platform as a tool designed to simplify user engagement with [blockchain](https://iq.wiki/wiki/blockchain) technology through an accessible interface and educational content. The platform was also developed to comply with the Virtual Asset User Protection Act, which imposes strict rules on marketing and user engagement. Jeon concluded by announcing the platform's official launch and related community events scheduled during [KBW](https://iq.wiki/wiki/korea-blockchain-week-kbw). [\\[5\\]](#cite-id-BJKtEsW1Zt)\n\n$$widget0 [YOUTUBE@VID](https://youtube.com/watch?v=QS9sSIQxkfU)$$","summary":"Seonik Jeon is a South Korean entrepreneur, founder and CEO of FactBlock, a Web3 ecosystem builder. He is also the co-founder of Korea Blockchain Week (KBW), a major annual global blockchain and cultural festival held in Seoul since 2018.","images":[{"id":"QmTpaUxg23CAUbw6NBEqZkyKpXiLdaEw16ewS3s3CRN1s1","type":"image/jpeg, image/png"}],"categories":[{"id":"people","title":"people"}],"tags":[{"id":"PeopleInDeFi"},{"id":"Founders"},{"id":"Speakers"}],"media":[{"id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPrhyPCL58U","name":"vPrhyPCL58U","caption":"","thumbnail":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPrhyPCL58U","source":"YOUTUBE"},{"id":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS9sSIQxkfU","name":"QS9sSIQxkfU","caption":"","thumbnail":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS9sSIQxkfU","source":"YOUTUBE"},{"id":"QmezRMGmaG5HAWAuXbQJNJPuRG5L2d3d6zW7a9mDrB5HVU","name":"h0s8RxlWvw1VDaUK.png","caption":"","thumbnail":"QmezRMGmaG5HAWAuXbQJNJPuRG5L2d3d6zW7a9mDrB5HVU","source":"IPFS_IMG"},{"id":"Qmc7B7CzAspLTTgGzFanF6ACpkuVJAC8e13iyiJwzawcuc","name":"wI55qqdm72BxCpNE.jpeg","caption":"","thumbnail":"Qmc7B7CzAspLTTgGzFanF6ACpkuVJAC8e13iyiJwzawcuc","source":"IPFS_IMG"}],"metadata":[{"id":"references","value":"[{\"id\":\"C5ho7KYaTe\",\"url\":\"https://koreablockchainweek.com/pages/about\",\"description\":\"About Korea Blockchain Week\",\"timestamp\":1755802275918},{\"id\":\"S1RHoyQyh3\",\"url\":\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPrhyPCL58U\\\\&pp=ygULc2VvbmlrIGplb24%3D\",\"description\":\"Speaker Interview at KBW2024\",\"timestamp\":1755802275918},{\"id\":\"K7HDHHGJ4h\",\"url\":\"https://factblock.com/\",\"description\":\"FactBlock Official Website\",\"timestamp\":1755802275918},{\"id\":\"zpZI6QxXfo\",\"url\":\"https://koreablockchainweek.com/\",\"description\":\"Korea Blockchain Week Official Website\",\"timestamp\":1755802275918},{\"id\":\"BJKtEsW1Zt\",\"url\":\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS9sSIQxkfU\\\\&pp=ygULc2VvbmlrIGplb24%3D\",\"description\":\"Welcome Keynote at KBW2024\",\"timestamp\":1755802275918},{\"id\":\"Q91JiY93Yb\",\"description\":\"Jeon Education | LinkedIn\",\"timestamp\":1755802615676,\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/seonikjeon/details/education/\"},{\"id\":\"spvTYXX2Df\",\"description\":\"Seonik Jeon | LinkedIn\",\"timestamp\":1755802642368,\"url\":\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/seonikjeon/?originalSubdomain=kr\"}]"},{"id":"website","value":"https://factblock.com/"},{"id":"linkedin_profile","value":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/seonikjeon/"},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"\"https://ipfs.everipedia.org/ipfs/QmZgPSxUQ7AMr5mCfpv8DZrRDJnShVXyNPHLW7Pui2e9XR\""},{"id":"commit-message","value":"\"Refactor: Adjust header levels for correct article structure and hierarchy.\""},{"id":"previous_cid","value":"QmZgPSxUQ7AMr5mCfpv8DZrRDJnShVXyNPHLW7Pui2e9XR"}],"events":[{"id":"855d3e45-c7a5-4406-a6c7-e0a1f7d64e61","date":"2018-03","title":"Founded FactBlock & KBW","type":"CREATED","description":"Jeon founded FactBlock, a Web3 ecosystem builder, in Seoul. In the same year, FactBlock launched the first Korea Blockchain Week (KBW).","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null},{"id":"0c5793a9-22e2-4dfc-b6a4-33b065852a89","date":"2014-05","title":"Graduated from CSU Long Beach","type":"DEFAULT","description":"Jeon graduated from California State University, Long Beach, with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems.","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null},{"id":"aec7b865-1847-4403-9f51-2d606954a413","date":"2016-05","title":"Earned MBA from Korea University","type":"DEFAULT","description":"He earned his Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Korea University.","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null},{"id":"ba84b315-c1ee-4109-956c-ba5c22a5ead7","date":"2022-06","title":"Became Vice Chairman","type":"DEFAULT","description":"He became the vice chairman of the Financial News Media Group, a position he continues to hold.","multiDateStart":null,"multiDateEnd":null}],"user":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"author":{"id":"0x8af7a19a26d8fbc48defb35aefb15ec8c407f889"},"language":"en","version":1,"linkedWikis":{"blockchains":["korea-blockchain-week-kbw"],"founders":[],"speakers":[]}}