November 1, 2022
By Joe Pan
The most watched drama series created a new script of Green Metaverse and ecotourism for the greenest country on earth and the most eco-diverse island in Korea
19 October, 2022 Jeju Korea
Since its release in September, the Korean hit show “Narco Saints’’ about drug trafficking in Suriname continues to gain popularity as one of the top three most watched series on Netflix. The Suriname government has threatened to take legal action against the producers of the hit show that has fostered a negative image of the South America nation. The movie was supposed to be based on real live events that took place some two decades ago and some of the major scenes were shot on Jeju island in Korea.
Subsequently, the plot thickens with the creation of Sister Forests between Suriname and Jeju Island and the launch of Sister Forests for Regeneration of Critical Ecosystem (SFRCE), a new initiative created by John Goedschalk, Jeju-based X8M and Carbonbase, a climate-tech company that’s dedicated to the preservation and regeneration of global “critical ecosystems”.
The new initiative will focus on:
- Building an eco-thinktank to design and promote bioeconomics in both countries with ecotourism and education programs.
- Integrating Jeju’s biodiversity to the Green metaverse connecting Suriname to Jeju in Greenverse.world promoting the world’s first Preserve-to-Earn tokenomics and incentive model; specifically the initiative will create proof of impact tokens linked to Greenverse with tokenomics for ecotourism and conservation activities that contribute directly to conservation and preservation for biodiversity and habitats in both countries.
- Launching the Sister Forest and Carbon Neutral Club concepts and initiatives globally starting with Jeju Island and Suriname.
“Although it saddens me to see my country portrayed in a negative way, I also welcome the attention,” said John Goedschalk, Suriname’s former Climate Negotiator at the UN and the Executive Director of Conservation International. “Because Suriname, as one of only two carbon negative countries in the world, is in need of more attention and support around the world to develop our Sustainable Nature Tourism industry”.
“So from my perspective we will take the ‘lemons’ of being shown in a negative light, and we will make ‘sweet tourism lemonade’ to offer to the thirsty travellers in need of experiencing true pristine nature in the way that only Suriname can offer it”, added John who was also instrumental in drafting of the law of sustainable management of nature in 2019 and the passing of environmental framework and law in March 2020.
Known as “the Island Of Gods”, Jeju is one of most biodiverse green islands in South Korea. Certified as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and named as one of the Seven New Wonders of Nature in 2011, Jeju island offers pristine beaches, waterfalls, oremus (volcanic cones), lava tube, caves, and many more awe-inspiring natural wonders that are absolutely on bucket list-worthy for any travellers.
However, Jeju Island, prized for its natural beauty, has a growing trash problem, thanks to waves of visitors over the past decade. According to the local government, the amount of garbage on beaches alone increased 30 percent from 9,600 tons in 2012 to 14,000 tons last year.
Won Lee, a resident of Jeju island and founder of X8M, is on a mission to restore the pristine environment and build an eco-metaverse connecting people of all ages and backgrounds to live in a sustainable world.
Speaking of the newfound partnership, Lee stated that “with Suriname becoming a household name in South Korea, we have an opportunity to call on a global audience to protect and preserve two of the most important carbon sinks and biodiverse ecosystems on earth”.
Lee founded X8M after an illustrious career as the CEO of Gentle Monster US where he built up the Gentle Monster brand from a local boutique to a global powerhouse in luxury goods and fashion.
As the climate specialist of the new partnership, Carbonbase has built a proven track record in leveraging and also bridging web3 technologies to fight climate change. It has successfully launched CRED, the world’s first incentive token for the voluntary carbon credit market. “We have a mandate to build a green metaverse anchored by the carbon sinks of both forests in Suriname and Jeju, delivering on a connected strategy with green Metaverse and real life ecotourism,” said Max Song, CEO and Founder of Carbonbase (Carbon Technologies). “Web3 technology will open a new pathway to fight climate change offering a scalable strategy to mitigate the detrimental effects of GHG.”
About the author
Joe Pan is the contributing editor for nftmetta.com.
