[Jupiter Catlumpurr Final]
I. The Essence of Envy: A System of Collaboration
The biggest emotion I felt in Catlumpurr was envy. It wasn't simply envy of their success. I envied the fact that a single leader had staked hundreds of millions of tokens and tied the future of his teammates to his own.
To use a video game analogy, it's like the Meow and Jupiter teams are clearing a boss raid together. If they fail, everyone dies, but if they succeed, the experience is shared across the entire party. With each battle, team members level up, their skill trees expand, and they collectively earn the title of "talented" in the blockchain world.
On the other hand, what about the Korean blockchain scene? Upbit and Bithumb are only filling their own inventories. Jang Hyun-guk and the Kimchi Coin founders... were solo players from the beginning, and countless Kimchi communities are also playing their own games.
A game board without party play. A structure where experience isn't shared. The essence of my envy wasn't "success," but the absence of a "system for leveling up together."
"Hey, can I get a bus?"
II. The Conditions of a Leader: Token Stakeholders vs. Token Sellers
The Rules of the Game Are Different
Meow's bet of hundreds of millions of tokens on a project means more than just "investment." It's a declaration that "I (Meow) cannot escape this game."
From a game theory perspective, Meow eliminated its own exit option. If your team members fail, you fail, and if your team members grow, you grow. In economics, this is called "aligned incentives," but more simply put, it's "people in the same boat."
On the other hand, Upbit and Bithumb are different. They operate casinos, not bettors. They live off commissions, and they don't care whether you win or lose. Not only Upbithumb, but almost all the Kimchi Coin founders around us initially aimed for "token sales," not "projects." Kimchi communities are no different.
The Psychology of Leaders: Why Meow Is Different
Psychologist Erik Erikson divided human development into eight stages. Stage 7 is "Generativity vs. Stagnation." People who reach this stage are more interested in "raising the next generation" than in their own success.
Meow shares his experiences with his teammates not because he's kind. He's already experienced personal success and is now at the stage where he wants to "create something beyond himself." Jupiter's success becomes his legacy. His team members' ability to become competent is the process of completing his work.
What about Korean blockchain leaders? Most people still seem stuck in Erikson's Stage 4 (Industry vs. Inferiority, Achievement vs. Inferiority) or Stage 5 (Identity vs. Role Confusion, Establishing a Identity). They're obsessed with "How much have I earned?" and "How will I be remembered?" Team development is of no concern.
III. Structural Problems in the Korean Blockchain Scene: Why Isn't Meow Coming?
Cultural Conditions: "Hurry, hurry" vs. "Slowly, together."
Korean startup culture aims for "quick success and an exit." In a structure where IPOs and M&As are the goals, long-term team development is considered inefficient.
The cryptocurrency market is even worse. Once a token is listed and liquidity is secured, the founders are already wealthy. There's no need to spend 10 years leveling up their team.
Jupiter is different. It's playing a long-term game in the Solana ecosystem, and most of Meow's tokens are locked up in the project. He chose "slowly building an empire" over "quickly selling and leaving."
This structure itself is rare in Korea. Investors want quick returns, and founders want rapid success. "Growing together" is just a slogan, but in reality, it's "earning quickly and each person surviving."
Economic Conditions: A structure that survives on fees, not tokens.
Upbit and Bithumb have a clear business model: transaction fees. They don't care whether a coin succeeds or fails; all they care about is high trading volume. This is the same structure as a casino.
Jupiter's business model is different. The value of the JUP token directly determines the project's success. Team members and the community hold JUP. Everyone is in the same boat. Upbit collects fees even if the ship sinks, but Jupiter dies when the ship sinks.
The structural problem in Korea is that "leaders don't share the same boat as their followers." Leaders only collect the fare from the safe shores, and only followers board the ship. Social Conditions: Jealousy and Tall Poppy Syndrome
Korean society tends to bring down successful people. It's what Australian culture calls "Tall Poppy Syndrome." This is one reason why Dokwon is so far away. In Korea, the more successful you are, the more criticism you receive.
Meow is a hero in the Solana community. Even if you fail, you're applauded, and even more so if you succeed. In Korea? If you fail, you're criticized, and even if you succeed, you're suspected of being behind someone.
Leaders need followers, but in a society where followers don't trust leaders, leaders can't emerge.
IV. My Choice: Deciding to Board a Boat
From Envy to Determination
After returning from Catlumpurr, I kept thinking about it for several days. What should I do with this envy? Should I live lamenting the structural problems of the Korean blockchain scene, or should I make a different choice?
The answer was clear: I decided to board the boat Meow built.
Becoming a leader yourself is also a good thing. But I lack the skills, capital, experience, and network.
But I can board the right ship and learn how to sail together. The Jupiter is currently sailing the fastest in the Solana seas. The captain has staked his fate on this ship, and the crew is gaining experience and becoming more capable every day.
This is an opportunity. Something you'll never experience in Korea.
Choosing a long-term game
When I decided to contribute to Jupiter, I made one thing clear: this isn't a short-term game.
Those familiar with the Korean blockchain scene are optimized for "getting in fast and getting out fast." They enter before the token listing, sell when the price spikes, and then exit. But that's not Jupiter's game.
Meow is looking ahead 10 or 20 years. Its vision is to build a super app that dominates the Solana ecosystem. Beyond being a simple DEX aggregator, it aims to become Solana's very own infrastructure through Perps, Ape Pro, and countless other upcoming products.
I want to be a part of that journey. Five or ten years from now, when Jupiter is at the center of the Solana ecosystem, I want to say, "I was there too."
Contribution: Small but Meaningful
"Contributing to Jupiter" doesn't mean anything grand. I'm not a Jupiter team member or a core developer. However, there are various ways to contribute.
First, I can actually use the product and provide feedback. I try out Jupiter Exchange, Perps, and Ape Pro myself, find bugs, and share UX improvements on Discord or Twitter.
Second, I can spread Jupiter's vision to the Korean community. While the Korean blockchain scene is still obsessed with short-term speculation, projects like Jupiter can demonstrate how to create long-term value. It demonstrates what a proper leader, proper team, and proper vision are.
Third, I can build something directly within the Jupiter ecosystem. Whether it's a tool leveraging the Jupiter API or content for the Jupiter community, I add value in any way I can. Get on board, but don't just sit there; row.
Gaining Experience
What I gain by contributing to Jupiter isn't simply a rise in the price of the JUP token. It's the experience of becoming a powerful player in the blockchain scene.
Just as Jupiter team members are welcomed everywhere with the title of "Jupiter native," community members who are deeply involved in the Jupiter ecosystem earn a similar trust. They gain a reputation as someone who knows how Jupiter works, understands Solana DeFi, and thinks long-term.
If I can write "Contributed to the Jupiter ecosystem during the 2025-2030 growth phase" on my resume three or five years from now, that might be more valuable than any career at a Korean blockchain company.
V. Joining the Same Boat
Party Play: Community
One of Jupiter's unique strengths is that it treats its community like true team members. At events like Catstanbul and Catlumpurr, Meow meets community members in person, listens to their opinions, and plans the future together. This isn't just marketing. It's a strategy to bring the community on board. Everyone who holds JUP tokens has a stake in Jupiter's success, and the more actively they contribute, the stronger the project becomes.
I've decided to become a part of that community. I want to be active on Discord, share Jupiter updates on Twitter, and serve as a bridge between the Korean and global communities.
How to Get on the Winning Boat
Investors often say, "Bet on the winner." But more importantly, "Get on the winning boat early."
Jupiter is already Solana's leading DEX aggregator. But Meow's vision doesn't end there. Jupiter's journey is just beginning. Rather, it's the real voyage. As Solana moves toward mainstream adoption, Jupiter will be at the center of it.
I want to be a part of that journey. When I look back in 10 years, I want to say, "In 2026, I chose the right boat."
VI. Final Thoughts: Turning Envy into Action
The envy I felt at Catlumpurr has now become a clear direction.
Instead of lamenting the lack of leaders like Meow in Korea, I've decided to follow the example of Meow, who already exists. If you're not ready to become a leader yourself, learning from a proper leader is the first step.
The ship Jupiter is sailing steadily through the storm. It grew even during the bear market of 2025, and it won't stop in 2026. Meow has staked hundreds of millions of its tokens on this ship, and its team members and community are on board.
I'm now a part of that ship.
Five years from now, when I become the leader and build a new ship, I'll remember what I learned at Jupiter:
- Betting, not selling tokens
- Binding my team members' futures to my own
- Playing the long game, not the short term
- Treating the community as true team members, not mere decorations
Until then, I will contribute to Jupiter's further success. Even small contributions are meaningful. Because everyone on the same boat arrives at the same destination.
Envy has now become action.
Meow, the Jupiter team, and the community. I'm now on the same boat. Let's sail the blockchain sea together.
