EWHA-CHAIN is a university-based academic club and women-led builder community at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, South Korea. Founded in 2018, it is the university's sole organization dedicated to blockchain technology. The club focuses on education, research, and development within the Web3 ecosystem, aiming to cultivate future leaders in the blockchain industry through a systematic curriculum and hands-on project experience. [1][2]
Overview
EWHA-CHAIN provides its members with a structured pathway to learn about blockchain, from foundational concepts to advanced, practical applications. The organization's official slogans are "Where Change Begins, Where Chain Begins, We are Chainers" and "Where We Lead the Industry." Its mission is to build a community of next-generation blockchain leaders and to foster female leadership in an innovative and inclusive environment. It offers in-depth educational sessions, facilitates research and development, and encourages participation in hackathons and idea contests. The club's activities are guided by three core values: DEEP-DIVE, which supports deeply studying blockchain in a collaborative environment; GROWTH, which focuses on members achieving personal and career growth; and LEAD, which encourages members to become women leaders through active communication and industry collaboration. [1][2]
The organization operates on a cohort-based model, recruiting students from all majors at Ewha Womans University into successive generations of members. Internally, the club is structured into specialized teams, including a Research Team that focuses on theoretical analysis and a dApp (Decentralized Application) Team dedicated to practical software development. This structure allows members to specialize while collaborating on comprehensive projects. EWHA-CHAIN maintains an active presence in the broader Web3 community through industry speaker sessions, networking events that connect current members with alumni and professionals, and collaborations with major technology companies and blockchain foundations. [3][1]
History
Establishing the Foundation (2018)
EWHA-CHAIN began in 2018 as a study group at Ewha Womans University, becoming the first and only blockchain-focused academic club at the university. During its formative year, members participated in the Netherlands Blockchain Expo through the EWHA GLOBAL FRONTIER program, gaining early international exposure to the industry. [2]
Building a Structured System
In its early years, the club focused on establishing a systematic curriculum to support members in both planning and development roles. It persevered through the "crypto winter" by continuing its activities, including hosting bootcamps and study groups on topics like ERC-20 and ERC-721 token standards. The club also began studying emerging technologies like Rust and Go development to broaden its technical expertise. [3]
Growth Phase
The organization gained recognition through its participation in socially impactful projects, such as the Good Neighbors & GroundX “Good Water” initiative, demonstrating the practical application of blockchain technology for social good.
Contributing to Web3 Adoption
To promote wider adoption of Web3, EWHA-CHAIN organized public-facing events. A key example is the ‘ICE-CHAIN’ NFT issuance event, hosted in collaboration with the major South Korean virtual asset exchange Korbit, which provided real-world project experience to its members. [2]
Entering the Web3 Industry
Members began actively participating in global hackathons and collaborating with international foundations. The club partnered with BNB Chain to host a BNB Hack Bootcamp, solidifying its role as a bridge between academia and the professional industry.
Expanding Globally (2022 onwards)
From 2022, the club significantly shifted its focus from domestic activities to the international stage. This new direction involved increased participation in global competitions and events, allowing members to compete and network with a worldwide community of developers and innovators.
Leading the Industry
EWHA-CHAIN solidified its leadership position within the university blockchain community by co-hosting the "IdeaTON" with TON Society Korea. The club's team achieved 1st prize at the event, showcasing its competitive edge and innovative capabilities.
Creating Industry Impact
The club's expertise was recognized with major accolades, such as winning the Excellence Award at the “2025 Blockchain & AI Hackathon Using Mobile ID,” an event that highlighted the practical and secure application of emerging technologies.
Organizational Structure and Curriculum
EWHA-CHAIN's structure is designed to facilitate both foundational learning and specialized expertise in blockchain technology. The club recruits students from Ewha Womans University across all academic disciplines in periodic cohorts. [1]
Teams and Recruitment
The club is organized into two primary teams to support its R&D activities:
Research Team: Focuses on the theoretical and analytical aspects of blockchain technology, exploring emerging concepts and protocols.
dApp Team: Concentrates on the practical design, development, and implementation of decentralized applications on various blockchain platforms.
This dual-team structure allows members to align with their interests while collaborating on projects that require both theoretical understanding and technical execution. The cohort system, with references to the "4th blockchain core team" and the "16th cohort," indicates a structured, generational model that fosters mentorship and knowledge transfer between senior and junior members. [3][1]
Educational Programs
The curriculum is divided into a multi-stage program to accommodate members with varying levels of experience.
Basic Session: A foundational course covering core blockchain principles, smart contract theory, and hands-on exercises in DApp development.
Advanced Session: Operates on a "1 Semester, 1 Chain" model. During this session, members dedicate an entire semester to an in-depth study of a single blockchain ecosystem, conducting advanced research and development projects specific to that chain.
Bootcamps: Held each semester, these intensive events bring together club members and external participants. They feature workshops and guest speakers from the blockchain industry and have previously focused on topics such as NFT development.
Study Groups: In addition to the formal curriculum, the club organizes smaller, focused study groups on specific topics. Past groups have covered the development of ERC-20 fungible tokens using Solidity and research into the Klaytn blockchain ecosystem.
Idea Contests: Internal competitions, such as the "12th Generation Ideathon" on Decentralized Finance (DeFi), are held to encourage members to ideate and develop project concepts, preparing them for external hackathons.
This combination of structured sessions, specialized groups, and competitive events provides a comprehensive educational framework. [3][2]
Projects and Competitions
Members of EWHA-CHAIN actively participate in building projects and competing in various hackathons and ideathons. The club's project-based learning approach has led to the development of several award-winning applications and a strong presence in the Web3 developer community.
Major Awards
2025 Mokpo National University RISE Digital Startup Competition – Excellence Award (우수상) for FairStay, a digital rental platform using AI and blockchain-based NFTs to resolve property disputes.
2025 Blockchain & AI Hackathon Using Mobile ID – Excellence Award
Superteam Korea Cypherpunk Sidetrack with OnePiece Labs – 2nd Prize for Trade:see, a Solana-based automated escrow and settlement platform for SME exporters.
Hackathon & Ideathon Results
Built on Base Ideathon (2025)
Web3 Builder Track 1st Prize: Web3Twin (Base-native social matching web app)
Web3 Builder Track 2nd Prize: Base Insurance (A solution for hedging against impermanent loss)
Student Track 3rd Prize: ChartWith_Base (On-chain social trading platform)
Hunt Ideathon 4th – 1st and 2nd Prize
WEB2X connecTHON – 1st Prize
SEOULANA SANCTUM Track – 1st Prize
Solana Grizzlython University Track – Honorable Mention (2023, 2021)
LBank Labs Summer Bootcamp – Finalist (2023)
Klaymakers22 DAO Track – 2nd Prize (2022)
HackAtom Seoul Juno Track – 3rd Prize (2022)
Polygon BUIDL IT: Summer 2022 – Prize Pool Winner
Korea University Blockchain Startup Idea Competition – Encouragement Award
Members have also participated in the KAIA Stablecoin Hackathon, XRPL Hackathon Seoul 2025, and Base Batches 2.
Hosted Events
Onboarding on Solana (November 2025): An educational event co-hosted with Solana Foundation, Superteam Korea, and Sonic SVM.
Built on Base Ideathon (November 2025): An ideathon co-hosted with Daehan Base to expand the Base social ecosystem.
BNB Hack Bootcamp
IdeaTON: Co-hosted with TON Society Korea.
University Festival NFT Minting Event: Held in partnership with trnlabs (May 2025).
The Green Chain: A sustainability-focused event booth run in partnership with CELO.
Community Partnerships & Research
SheFi Summit Seoul – Served as a Community Partner (April 2025).
The club's extensive participation and success in these events demonstrate its commitment to practical application and innovation in the blockchain space. [1][2]
Partnerships and Collaborations
EWHA-CHAIN has established collaborations with a variety of major technology companies, blockchain foundations, and industry organizations to enhance the educational experience and professional opportunities for its members.
Google Cloud: The club launched pilot programs and R&D tracks in partnership with Google Cloud. This collaboration provides members with hands-on experience using Google Cloud's Web3 infrastructure, the BigQuery data analytics platform, and the Gemini AI model. The partnership was initiated following a visit to the Google Campus in Seoul. [1]
Solana Foundation: EWHA-CHAIN has a strong relationship with the Solana ecosystem. It co-hosted an "Onboarding on Solana" event with the Solana Foundation, Superteam Korea, and Sonic SVM to educate and support developers. This connection is further strengthened by the club's alumni network, including a former president who now works at the foundation. [1]
Dunamu: The club participates in the "Upside Academy," an initiative run by Dunamu, the operator of the Upbit cryptocurrency exchange. Through this program, members presented research on "Threat Modeling and Response Strategies for Decentralized Identity (DID/VC) Systems" at UP-Date Day. [1]
Korbit: In 2023, EWHA-CHAIN collaborated with the virtual asset exchange Korbit on the ‘ICE-CHAIN’ NFT issuance event, giving members practical experience in a commercial project. [2]
Hashed: The club has utilized the Hashed Lounge, a prominent Web3 community space in Gangnam, Seoul, for hosting major events and seminars.
Daehan Base: EWHA-CHAIN co-hosted the "Built on Base Ideathon," an event designed to foster project development on the Base blockchain.
BNB Chain: In early 2023, the club was a university partner in an online seminar series hosted by BNB Chain, which focused on building applications in the Web3 ecosystem. [4]
Tezos Korea: The club partnered with Tezos Korea to host an industry seminar, bringing expert insights from the Tezos ecosystem to its members and the wider university community. [4]
These partnerships provide members with access to cutting-edge technology, industry mentorship, and valuable networking opportunities. [1]
Technical Focus
EWHA-CHAIN has demonstrated expertise across a range of blockchain platforms, programming languages, and development tools, with a primary focus on smart contract and decentralized application development for EVM-compatible chains. [3]
Blockchain Platforms
Ethereum: The primary platform of focus for the club's educational curriculum and development projects. Members gain expertise in key Ethereum standards, including ERC-20 for fungible tokens and ERC-721 for non-fungible tokens.
Solana: The club is actively involved in the Solana ecosystem, demonstrated by the development of the award-winning Trade:see project and familiarity with the Metaplex NFT protocol.
Klaytn: EWHA-CHAIN has dedicated study groups for the Klaytn blockchain, a prominent platform in the South Korean market, indicating a focus on the local Web3 ecosystem.
Other Platforms: The club has also engaged with other ecosystems through hackathons and collaborations, including Base, BNB Chain, and Tezos. [1][4]
Development Stack
EWHA-CHAIN utilizes a modern technology stack for its development and research activities.
Programming Languages:
Solidity: The primary language for smart contract development on Ethereum and other EVM-compatible chains.
JavaScript: Used extensively for front-end DApp development and for interacting with blockchains via libraries.
Python: Employed in internal research and development projects like onechain_py.
Go and HTML: Also listed among the languages used by team members.
Tools and Libraries:
Hardhat: The preferred development environment for compiling, deploying, testing, and debugging Ethereum-based smart contracts.
Ethers.js: A widely used JavaScript library for interacting with the Ethereum blockchain and its ecosystem from DApp front-ends.
This technical profile enables members to build robust, full-stack decentralized applications. [3]
Key Figures
Chaerin Kim is a notable alumna of EWHA-CHAIN, having previously served as its President. Following her leadership role at the club, she joined the Solana Foundation as the APAC Growth Manager. She remains an influential and active figure for the organization, acting as a mentor to current members and helping to bridge the gap between the academic club and the professional Web3 industry, particularly within the Solana ecosystem. [1]
Seo Eunbin (서은빈) is the Vice President of the 17th Generation of EWHA-CHAIN. She is majoring in the Global Sports Industry at Ewha Womans University. [1]
