Leading NFT brand Azuki announced the appointment of Steve Chung as Chief Operating Officer on Thursday. Chung, a seasoned entertainment executive with experience in both Hollywood and Silicon Valley, aims to drive Azuki's expansion beyond digital collectibles.

Chung expressed a forward-looking vision for the brand, stating, "In some ways, we're in a post-NFT world. We have 50,000 amazing characters that are owned by individuals who are super passionate about that community, and there is a very clear path toward using that as the next leverage, telling the story."

Azuki, along with other popular NFT brands like Bored Apes and Pudgy Penguins, is shifting towards traditional business strategies to maintain relevance and grow in the current market. This includes content creation, gaming, and merchandising, as royalty revenues for NFT creators have significantly declined.

Chung highlighted Azuki’s unique potential in the anime sector, noting the release of an animated series based on the collection’s intellectual property. The first episode, created with the expertise of traditional Japanese anime creators, has garnered over 1 million views on YouTube within a month. "Where we can differentiate with Azuki is we're not a generic object or animal. It's the anime culture that's our differentiation," Chung emphasized.

In March, Azuki partnered with the Arbitrum Foundation to create a web3 network targeting anime fans, further solidifying its commitment to leveraging its anime-themed assets. Azuki, developed by Los Angeles-based Chiru Labs, continues to explore innovative ways to engage its community and expand its influence.

Before joining Azuki, Chung served as Chief Global Officer for Korean entertainment giant CJ ENM Entertainment and worked for Fox Corporation. He began his career at Goldman Sachs and holds degrees from Stanford and Harvard, according to his LinkedIn profile.

With Chung's leadership, Azuki aims to harness its unique anime theme to set itself apart from other NFT brands and transition into a broader entertainment powerhouse.