Game industry in South Korea - statistics & facts

South Korean gamers are known for dominating the e-sports scene across a variety of games. The country has a strong gaming culture and supporting infrastructure, which has led to a strong gaming market in South Korea worth several trillion South Korean won. The government has announced plans to support the game industry by relaxing regulations as well as focusing more on e-sports teams and gaming events. By extending its ecosystem, the government is hoping to create more jobs in subsequent years and help the gaming industry continue its development.

Who are the major players in the South Korean game industry?

The South Korean game development market is mostly focused on mobile and online PC games. The largest companies are the so-called 3N: Netmarble, Nexon, and NC Soft. Other promising companies are Krafton and Pearl Abyss, which have become unicorn companies over in recent years, meaning they are start-ups valued at over one trillion South Korean won.

How has the game industry developed in South Korea?

The existing infrastructure in South Korea is more than ideal for gaming; South Korea has one of the best internet connections in the world, for both availability and speed. Additionally, many consumers are already familiar with advanced technologies and open to new developments. A great example for this is the success of 5G in South Korea, which is also opening new possibilities for advancing the gaming market and related technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Additionally, the overwhelming majority of gamers in South Korea play games on mobile phones. In fact, the mobile gaming market in South Korea has become the major market segment over traditional PC gaming.

PC bangs role' as core infrastructure for the South Korean game industry

Another integral part of the South Korean gaming market are PC bangs. PC bangs developed out of internet cafes and became an important hub for professional and casual gamers alike. The facilities provide high-end gaming PCs with a great internet connection. While casual single-player games ranked first as the leading video game type gamers played, gamers often used PC bangs to play multiplayer games, such as the globally popular League of Legends. The sales revenue of PC bangs was recorded to be well in the trillions, and was expected to grow further in the future, recovering from the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic fairly quickly.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Jan 19, 2023

Key insights

Mobile gaming sales revenue
12.1tr KRW
Number of workers in PC bangs
35.7k employees
Share of South Koreans playing games
74.4%
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Revenue breakdown of Netmarble Corp. in 4th quarter 2022, by major games

Video Gaming & eSports

Revenue breakdown Netmarble Q4 2022, by games

Most played games in PC bangs based on time spent in South Korea as of December 2022

Video Gaming & eSports

Leading games in PC bangs in South Korea December 2022

Size of the gaming market in South Korea from 2006 to 2021 with forecasts for 2022 to 2024 (in trillion South Korean won)

Online Video & Entertainment

Gaming industry size South Korea 2006-2024

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Further reportsGet the best reports to understand your industry

Video gaming audiences in the United Kingdom (UK)
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Digital games in the U.S. (DMO)
Mobile gaming market leaders
Mobile gaming market leaders
Gamers in South Korea
Gamers in South Korea

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