Shipaton comes to Seoul: Dev Korea #2 Recap
On September 1st, we hosted Dev Korea #2: Shipaton 2025, welcoming 70+ developers, founders, and indie hackers to the Google for Startups Campus in Seoul. It was an evening filled with ideas, laughter, and connection. A true celebration of the indie app spirit and the growing English-speaking tech community in Korea.
The night’s spotlight was on Charlie Chapman — iOS developer, podcaster, and Developer Advocate at RevenueCat, who shared an inspiring and down-to-earth talk about growing your app sustainably, one step at a time.
🚀 The talk that inspired every indie dev
Charlie took us through a candid, practical journey of what it really takes to grow an app today — beyond the hype of virality and overnight success. Drawing on his own experience building indie apps like Dark Noise, he shared real stories that resonated with every builder in the room.
His main message: focus on the people who care, and growth will follow.
Using Dark Noise as a case study, Charlie broke down the lessons learned from building a simple yet beloved app — from crafting a clean user experience to connecting with the community through transparency and storytelling.
He also introduced Shipaton — a friendly, community-driven online hackathon for indie makers focused on shipping rather than perfection. He shared how Shipaton has helped developers around the world stay accountable, meet peers, and actually finish their projects. It’s not about competition; it’s about momentum — getting things out into the world and learning by doing.
Charlie also demonstrated how tools like RevenueCat can empower developers to monetize more effectively, manage subscriptions with less friction, and focus on building great user experiences rather than complex billing systems. He showed how developers can use RevenueCat’s purchase analytics, A/B testing for paywalls, and subscriber insights to experiment, learn, and refine their monetization strategies — all without needing to build the infrastructure themselves.
Key takeaways from his talk included:
- 🎯 Find your niche — Dark Noise succeeded by serving a small but dedicated audience deeply
- 💬 Tell your story — your journey as a maker is part of the product’s identity
- 📊 Measure wisely — don’t get lost in vanity metrics; track what reflects real engagement
- 🧠 Iterate publicly — share your progress, gather feedback, and grow with your users
- ❤️ Keep it fun — consistent, sustainable effort beats burnout and over-optimization
His humor and honesty made the talk both inspiring and refreshing — turning serious growth strategy into something personal and relatable. The Q&A session that followed naturally evolved into an open conversation about pricing, indie branding, and the emotional rollercoaster of shipping your own app.
🎁 Swag, raffle, and community updates
After the talk, we shared a few Dev Korea community updates, highlighting our ongoing mission to build bridges between local and international tech professionals in Korea.
Then came the fun part — our RevenueCat raffle! A few lucky attendees walked away with exclusive RevenueCat swag, while everyone got to pick up RevenueCat stickers as souvenirs. The smiles (and a few happy dances) said it all. 😄
🍕 Food, drinks, and that signature Dev Korea vibe
No Dev Korea event is complete without great food and better conversations. We kept the energy high with delicious pizza and drinks, fueling the networking session that stretched well past 9:30 PM.
What made the night truly special wasn’t just the venue or the talk — it was the connections being made. Developers swapped product stories, founders shared launch struggles, and newcomers to Korea found their first real tech community here. The great venue provided the perfect backdrop for that mix of professional and personal connection we always aim for.
🙌 Massive thanks
This event wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing support from our partners and community:
- RevenueCat for the support, swag, and for empowering indie developers worldwide
- Google for Startups Campus for allowing us to use their great event space
- Charlie Chapman for his thoughtful talk and time with our community
- Our 3 incredible volunteers Alambek Gulamidinov, Ashton Reed, Azizbek Umidjonov who made everything flow seamlessly from start to finish
- All 70+ attendees who showed up with curiosity, enthusiasm, and generosity, you’re what makes Dev Korea special ✨
👀 What's coming next
We’re lining up even more exciting meetups with global startups and local innovators. Stay tuned — and don’t miss the next one! Check out dev-korea.com/events to stay updated on what we're cooking up next.
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Here's to more nights of code, community, and conversations that actually matter! 🍻
Ready to explore your next move? Visit Dev Korea to check the latest job openings, or if you’re an employer, post a job and connect with our vibrant community of tech talent eager to contribute to Korea’s innovation ecosystem.