Korean Game Industry Reflects on Past, Eyes Future Amid global Success
Seoul, South Korea – A new exhibition, “Press Start, Korea PC Game Stage,” currently underway until November 30th, is charting the evolution of the Korean game industry, from its humble beginnings to its current global prominence. The exhibit highlights a pivotal period in the late 1990s, where the IMF crisis unexpectedly spurred innovation, allowing developers to break free from the constraints of illegal cloning and pioneer the online game market.
The IMF period, while challenging, created space for emerging developers to introduce Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) in the early 2000s. This shift, coupled with the accessibility of online platforms, fueled rapid growth and expanded Korea’s influence in the global gaming landscape.
Today,”K-games” are recognized internationally for their high-quality graphics,immersive narratives,and engaging gameplay. Recent examples include Netmarble’s RF Online Next and Nexon‘s First berserker: Kazan.
The exhibition underscores how Korean PC games built a foundation for the industry between the console game boom of the 1980s and the rise of online gaming in the 2000s. Developers fostered a market by creating original domestic PC games, despite a lack of robust copyright protection, cultivating gamer expectations and national pride.
“We looked back at the history of Korean PC games in order and time, and we planned to illuminate the influence of the game how the games changed Korean society today,” explained exhibition planner Cho.
However, challenges remain. While Korean games are enjoying worldwide success, some experts express concern about maintaining competitiveness. Recent predictions suggest a potential shift in industry trends from PC and mobile gaming towards console games.
The exhibition features historical artifacts, such as the 1973 Computer Space arcade game, acquired by netmarble at auction.
This retrospective comes as the [아이랑GO] section of the JoongAng ilbo promotes family-friendly weekend activities, including revisiting childhood games and exploring new ways to connect with children through gaming and reading.
written by Lee Bora Lee.bora3@joins.com, Photo = Lim Ik -soon (Open Studio)
