Based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), South Korea ranks 13th in the world economy. However, in the cryptocurrency market, this ranking is rapidly ascending.According to data provided by CryptoCompare (CCData) to The Miilk, the trading volume of Korean cryptocurrency exchanges holds the 4th position in the global market. Considering that the top three countries have exchanges widely used by Korean users, located in tax havens such as the Cayman Islands, Singapore, and Seychelles, the possibility of a higher ranking is significant.When combining data from CCData, Kaiko, Coinhills, and others, the Korean Won (KRW) consistently features among the top currencies traded against Bitcoin. Since the cryptocurrency surge in October, Korea's presence has grown even more. Over the three months from September to November, while trading between the U.S. dollar and Bitcoin decreased by 11%, KRW-BTC trading saw a substantial 17% increase. In fiat-to-Bitcoin trading, the dominance is split, with the dollar at around 40%, and the won closely trailing at approximately 41%.According to data from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of Korea, the number of crypto investors in Korea in the first half of 2023 reached approximately 6 million. This equates to one in every ten South Koreans investing in crypto. How did South Korea become a major player in crypto? The strong inclination toward altcoins in the Korean cryptocurrency market, especially through domestic exchanges like Upbit, can be attributed to a unique mix of factors. These include Korea's real estate prices, the absence of high-risk-high-return products in traditional investment options, geographical and cultural characteristics, brokers in the early cryptocurrency market, socio-economic factors, and the absence of strict listing regulations.