South Korea vs. the United States: Competition between the two major Bitcoin trading markets, which one has a more friendly payment environment

A South Korean TV station produced and broadcast a reality show in which two stars competed to live on Bitcoin for a week. One was in South Korea and the other was in San Francisco. The two actors needed to find places that accepted Bitcoin payments directly.

Bitcoin reality show

Korea’s mainstream TV station Asia Business produced and aired a reality show in which two movie stars will challenge themselves to survive on Bitcoin for a week. The survival challenge show, titled “Surviving on Bitcoin for a Week,” was held simultaneously in two countries with different levels of Bitcoin adoption.

Actor Kim Bo-sung used Bitcoin to live in South Korea for a week, while painter and actor Yun Song-ah completed the same challenge in San Francisco, USA. Their Wikipedia pages show that Kim has appeared in 34 movies and 13 TV series, while Yun's work is in 8 movies and 10 TV series. They have won many awards.

The program compared the two stars' use of Bitcoin in two places, requiring them to find a merchant that directly accepts Bitcoin payments and live on Bitcoin for a week. The program followed them as they bought food, shelter, travel and other consumer activities that required spending.

Survive on Bitcoin

Kim Bo-sung, a self-proclaimed "Bitcoin rebel," said the show taught him to use Bitcoin in places like eyeglass stores, flower shops, camping sites and massage parlors. He often had to spend a long time finding merchants in South Korea that accepted Bitcoin payments.

Meanwhile, Yun Song-ah enjoyed the high popularity of Bitcoin in San Francisco. She easily found a large number of merchants that accepted Bitcoin, and there were also many Bitcoin ATMs that could withdraw US dollars. She painted the Golden Gate Bridge with her brush, visited Fisherman's Wharf, felt the hippie culture, and visited the Coppola Winery.

The show's producers said the reality show showcases two different ways of living, with San Francisco being the region with the most widespread Bitcoin adoption, while South Korea is the exact opposite.