These days it is a given that gaming is a big deal in South Korea. It is accepted as a norm in the country, and globally, it is seen as a window into the future of electronic sports or eSports gamers and fans alike. South Korea is a unique country when we are talking about gaming, and what happens in the country may not usually occur anywhere else in the world.
How did South Korea become very obsessed with online games?
The country is usually called the birthplace of electronic sports. Professional gaming has dramatically increased in popularity all over the world, but it started in the 90s in the country. South Korea was actually struggling financially, that is why the government decided to put money in technology, especially Internet infrastructure.
Internet, especially broadband type, become the norm in the country, as did mobile or smartphones and other technological wonders that would spread worldwide sooner or later. It leads to the rise of the gaming industry. At the same time, there was an increase in new television stations and networks, thanks to government supports and cheap technology.
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With the gaming industry becoming more popular, some television stations took a risk and started showing some of the tournaments and gameplay. It was aired in the same way that people see basketball, volleyball, football, and other sports on television, making the industry more mainstream.
It really grew into electronic sports thanks to a partnership between game developers like Blizzard and the government. Both worked with great effort and energy to organize eSports events centered around one of the most popular computer games in the world, StarCraft.
Starting in small pub games and gaming rooms, the community grows to hold events in hotel ballrooms and, eventually, even bigger stadiums. Soon thousands of gamers and fans all over the world were coming together to watch tournaments and championship games.
Since then, the gaming community in the country has continued to be more than just a hobby in South Korea. It became a dream job for a lot of gamers. Some of these gamers are even more popular than a movie or music stars in South Korea.
People talk about professional eSports gamers the way they do about politicians, film or TV actors, and pop artists. They are household names and celebrities in most South Korean households. Kids have posters of their electronic sports players or teams on their walls. Players can even have stalkers and groupies.
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How big is the gaming industry in South Korea?
The country is home to at least 25 million gamers, making it the sixth biggest gaming market in the world. South Korea has a total population of 52 million and counting. It means that more or less half of South Korea’s population is playing computer games, with 43% of gamers in the country are women.
What makes the country unique is that a considerable portion of the population also watches video game streams or content. So, even people who are not playing can watch other people play their favorite video games. As a matter of fact, going to cafes and gaming clubs to watch their favorite tournaments is very common for Korean couples like going to theaters to watch movies on dates.
Since the peak of StarCraft’s popularity, other computer games have grown in popularity in the country. Currently, PUBG and DOTA 2 craze have swept over the country, getting at least 40% of the players are based in South Korea. League of Legends or LOL continues to gain popularity, although Blizzard games like Overwatch, have also gained popularity over the years.
It is pretty impressive since usually, gamers in the country have no interest in first-person games, preferring real-time strategy games like StarCraft or Multiplayer Online Battle Arena games like DOTA 2 or League of Legends. Thanks to the popularity of Blizzard games like WOW or World of Warcraft and StarCraft: BroodWar, as well as Multiplayer Online Battle Arena like League of Legends and DOTA 2, it is actually a perfect time for Overwatch and PUBG’s recent success.
Overwatch pro players like Ji Soo found the characters, teamwork, and diverse gameplay the reason for her to master this game. Not only that, with a lot of tournaments with lucrative prizes popping up all over the country and all over the world, it is an excellent game for pro players to start playing the game.
What is eSports? Click here to find out more.
Where people play and gamble
In today’s digital age, people usually play computer games from the comfort of their homes, thanks to improved and robust Internet connections and infrastructure. But in South Korea, the gaming continues to be something people still do in online gaming clubs called PC Bangs or PC Rooms.
These gaming cafes offer people of all ages a chance to play their favorite games using high-powered, hi-resolution personal computers using fast internet connections. PC Rooms can also host smaller tournaments and competitions, as well as a venue for people to talk about the latest gameplays and debate which teams or players are the best.
Part Internet cafe, part social club, part gaming room, these PC Rooms can be found in the smallest towns in the most significant cities all over the country, with over 50,000 of them spread across South Korea. This culture also promotes an intense approach to the gaming industry than what you will find in other countries.
Betting in Online games
We all know that Asians love to bet on everything; online games are no exception. A lot of website offers betting odds on online games results. Although organizations are trying to avoid mixing gambling and eSports, nothing can stop people from betting on their favorite players or teams. The eSports industry is a multi-million-dollar business; betting on these games is a more significant industry. Betting on these games is not prohibited; that is why a lot of companies are offering small-scale betting on online games and tournaments. Even PC Bangs sometimes organize games solely for the purpose of betting. This industry has a lot of potentials to be a billion-dollar business, that is why betting firms and casinos want to have a piece of the pie.
