The gaming industry, long accustomed to European-style medieval fantasy featuring dragons soaring through the skies and elves drawing their bows, is turning its attention to "Korean narratives." From Taoist monks wearing gat (traditional Korean hats) to survivors wandering through Nakwon Arcade, a string of new titles set in a "K-universe" spanning all eras and spaces have entered development. Analysts say that as the elevated status of K-content converges with global gamers' demand for fresh material, a Korean flavor is emerging as a new formula for success.
According to the gaming industry on the 2nd, major domestic game companies are preparing upcoming titles that put Korean themes front and center. First, attempts to reinterpret Korean history and folklore stand out. In the past, there were some games based on Korean history such as the Three Kingdoms period or the Imjin War, but most were strategy simulation titles focused on large-scale warfare or domestic-market games aimed at Korean consumers.
Recently, there have been growing cases of applying traditional Korean material even in "Triple-A" games aimed at conquering the global market. Unlike past titles that focused solely on combat, these games are characterized by immersive visuals and vast freedom based on historical accuracy, such as meticulously recreating the back alleys of the Joseon Dynasty or capturing the detailed movements of traditional Korean martial arts.
Nexon Games' (225570) "Uchu the Wayfarer" is an action-adventure game being developed based on the Korean classic novel "The Tale of Jeon Woo-chi." To vividly capture the Joseon Dynasty setting, the development team collaborated with the Korea Tourism Organization and surveyed cultural heritage sites across the country. Studio Egimob's highly anticipated console action title "Musa: Dirty Fate" also went through a verification process with academia and experts to accurately implement costumes and swordsmanship. Kakao Games' (293490) "Goblin World," set for release this October, poured effort into character designs featuring colorful hanbok.
Attempts to use modern Korea as a backdrop continue as well. Nexon's "Nakwon: Last Paradise" is set in a Seoul overrun by zombies. In an alpha test this March, participants praised it for faithfully recreating actual downtown areas such as Yeouido, Jongno, and Nakwon Arcade. Smilegate's Korean-style psychological horror game "Alley: Ghost Trace" and Neowiz's (095660) dystopian adventure game "Goodbye Seoul: Itaewon" also depict familiar Seoul scenery in fine detail. Pearl Abyss' (263750) "DokeV," currently in development, is drawing anticipation as an open-world game that infuses Korean sensibilities, featuring hanok and sotdae (traditional wooden bird poles) within a modernized city. NCSOFT's new open-world shooter "Cinder City," slated for release in the second half of this year, goes a step further, building a universe set on the stage of a destroyed future Seoul.
Overseas developers are also bringing Korean narratives to the forefront. This is a departure from the past, when they merely borrowed partial elements such as Korean characters. "Modern Warfare 4," the new installment in the "Call of Duty" series that has built a solid global fandom, is set in a war on the Korean Peninsula sparked by a North Korean invasion, with players controlling Korean army Private Park. The new DLC "Brush and Sword Collection" for the recently released strategy simulation game "Sid Meier's Civilization 7" centers on the Imjin War.
Behind this focus on Korean material by domestic and overseas game companies lies the elevated status of K-content overall. The success of Netflix animation "KPop Demon Hunters" and fusion historical drama "Kingdom" has sharply increased global interest in a Korean flavor. In addition, analysts say Eastern material can also serve as a fresh option for the global gaming industry. The success of the Japanese game "Ghost of Tsushima" and the Chinese game "Black Myth: Wukong" lends weight to this argument.
Lee Jae-hong, president of the Korea Game Policy Society, diagnosed the situation, saying, "Until now, our gaming industry has mainly relied on Western-style medieval fantasy universes and failed to show differentiated narratives," adding, "As 'cross-culture storytelling'—refining our own cultural elements into narratives that people around the world can relate to, like 'KPop Demon Hunters'—draws attention, positive changes are also appearing in the gaming industry."
Attention is turning to whether this wind of change can serve as a turning point for the domestic game industry, which has fallen into growth stagnation. According to the "2025 Korea Game White Paper" published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency, the domestic game industry has continued quantitative growth every year, from 22.2149 trillion won in 2022 to 23.8515 trillion won in 2024. However, over the same period, exports declined from 11.6039 trillion won to 11.5985 trillion won, remaining in a state of stagnation as it lost its majority share. This is why the industry views the current "Korean material" boom as a new bold bet to revive domestic game exports.
Kim Jung-tae, a professor of game studies at Dongyang University, said, "Games with Korean material can come across as a novel experience to foreign users," adding, "We can also expect a virtuous cycle in which the warmth of K-pop and K-drama success spreads to K-games."
