Los Angeles — Azuki, a pioneering anime community platform and digital art collection, has appointed Steve Chung as its inaugural Chief Operating Officer.
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Chung is a veteran media and technology executive with nearly two decades of experience driving growth for some of the biggest names in Hollywood, Korean media and Silicon Valley. In this new role, Steve Chung will spearhead the growth and expansion of Azuki as one of the hottest start-ups in the rapidly growing anime industry, helping to shape its vision for the future of anime entertainment.
Chung, a seasoned media and technology executive, expressed enthusiasm about joining Azuki: “Even as a new entrant, Azuki already has a proven track record of building a passionate community and has a clear vision of how to build IP and experiences tailor made for anime fans, working alongside some of the greatest creators in the industry to achieve something that’s never been done before,” said Chung.
“I am thrilled to join this world-class team to develop the next generation powerhouse in the industry as anime content and consumers quickly expand to become an ever more important and mainstream segment of global media.”
Steve Chung, COO of Azuki
Driving Anime Industry Innovation
Under Chung’s leadership, Azuki will expand its presence in both the anime and entertainment industries, with a strong roadmap of new content and products. Central to this effort will be leveraging his expertise in Web2 traditional media to bridge Azuki’s Web3 brand into this new market.
As the transition from Web2 to Web3 accelerates, Chung will play a pivotal role in positioning Azuki to capitalize on this new media landscape. He will lead key growth initiatives for Azuki, leveraging his extensive knowledge of media and brand development to secure partnerships and collaborations with anime creators as well as other leading brands in entertainment.
Chung will also separately be signing up as a contributor and be closely involved with the launch of AnimeChain, a blockchain network designed for and by anime fans that will act as the first step in redefining anime community engagement.
Prior to joining Azuki, Chung served as the Chief Global Officer for CJ ENM, one of the largest Korean mass media companies that has created hit K-dramas, television series, movies and musicals, also serving as the CEO of America to drive the “K-wave” expansion in North America.
Chung also has extensive experience working in Hollywood, serving as the Chief Growth Officer for Fox and was responsible for incubating strategic projects and launching new products in direct-to-consumer streaming experiences. Starting his career at Goldman Sachs in New York, he previously served as Executive Producer of a prime-time talk show in China for the Shanghai Media Group and has experience taking a start-up from founding to a publicly-traded company in Silicon Valley.
Chung is recognized as one of the most influential media executives in the industry today and is currently a member of the Gold House A100 List, a list of the most impactful Asian Americans working in media and tech. Chung holds an MBA from Stanford University, with an undergraduate degree from Harvard where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.
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About Azuki
Azuki is at the forefront of revolutionizing anime culture by creating decentralized IPs and introducing innovative blockchain products. Emphasizing community co-creation and ownership, Azuki is committed to expanding the global reach and impact of anime through art, technology, and cultural integration.
