Dal Yong Jin
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262014762
- eISBN:
- 9780262289511
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262014762.003.0001
- Subject:
- Computer Science, Game Studies
This introductory chapter sets out the book’s purpose, which is to examine the multiple causes of growth of the online game industry in Korea. First, it explains why and how the Korean government ...
More
This introductory chapter sets out the book’s purpose, which is to examine the multiple causes of growth of the online game industry in Korea. First, it explains why and how the Korean government adopted new economic and cultural policies to develop the online game sector as a cutting-edge business and cultural icon. Second, it considers the role of Korean and foreign-based transnational corporations in the online game industry. Third, it explicates the nature of the relationship between online game systems and the broader structure of Korean society, examining the pattern of ownership and production in the game industries, and analyzing these patterns within the overall context of social and economic power relations. Finally, it articulates whether the apparently flourishing online game corporations in Korea will continue to thrive. An overview of the subsequent chapters is also presented.Less
This introductory chapter sets out the book’s purpose, which is to examine the multiple causes of growth of the online game industry in Korea. First, it explains why and how the Korean government adopted new economic and cultural policies to develop the online game sector as a cutting-edge business and cultural icon. Second, it considers the role of Korean and foreign-based transnational corporations in the online game industry. Third, it explicates the nature of the relationship between online game systems and the broader structure of Korean society, examining the pattern of ownership and production in the game industries, and analyzing these patterns within the overall context of social and economic power relations. Finally, it articulates whether the apparently flourishing online game corporations in Korea will continue to thrive. An overview of the subsequent chapters is also presented.
Dal Yong Jin
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262014762
- eISBN:
- 9780262289511
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262014762.001.0001
- Subject:
- Computer Science, Game Studies
In South Korea, online gaming is a cultural phenomenon. Games are broadcast on television, professional gamers are celebrities, and youth culture is often identified with online gaming. Uniquely in ...
More
In South Korea, online gaming is a cultural phenomenon. Games are broadcast on television, professional gamers are celebrities, and youth culture is often identified with online gaming. Uniquely in the online games market, Korea not only dominates the local market but has also made its mark globally. This book examines the rapid growth of this industry from a political economy perspective, discussing it in social, cultural, and economic terms. Korea has the largest percentage of broadband subscribers of any country in the world, and Koreans spend increasing amounts of time and money on Internet-based games. Online gaming has become a mode of socializing—a channel for human relationships. The Korean online game industry has been a pioneer in software development and eSports (electronic sports and leagues). The book discusses the policies of the Korean government that encouraged the development of online gaming both as a cutting-edge business and as a cultural touchstone; the impact of economic globalization; the relationship between online games and Korean society; and the future of the industry. It examines the rise of Korean online games in the global marketplace, the emergence of eSport as a youth culture phenomenon, the working conditions of professional gamers, the role of game fans as consumers, how Korea’s local online game industry has become global, and whether these emerging firms have challenged the West’s dominance in global markets.Less
In South Korea, online gaming is a cultural phenomenon. Games are broadcast on television, professional gamers are celebrities, and youth culture is often identified with online gaming. Uniquely in the online games market, Korea not only dominates the local market but has also made its mark globally. This book examines the rapid growth of this industry from a political economy perspective, discussing it in social, cultural, and economic terms. Korea has the largest percentage of broadband subscribers of any country in the world, and Koreans spend increasing amounts of time and money on Internet-based games. Online gaming has become a mode of socializing—a channel for human relationships. The Korean online game industry has been a pioneer in software development and eSports (electronic sports and leagues). The book discusses the policies of the Korean government that encouraged the development of online gaming both as a cutting-edge business and as a cultural touchstone; the impact of economic globalization; the relationship between online games and Korean society; and the future of the industry. It examines the rise of Korean online games in the global marketplace, the emergence of eSport as a youth culture phenomenon, the working conditions of professional gamers, the role of game fans as consumers, how Korea’s local online game industry has become global, and whether these emerging firms have challenged the West’s dominance in global markets.
