What aspects of Korean culture and gaming are you seeing resonate most with Western players, and how does NCSOFT plan to leverage these cultural touchpoints in upcoming titles? I believe Korean culture is intriguing to the world. The popularity of K-Drama, K-Pop, K-Culture, and now Korean games, continues to explode across the planet. While it’s been happening for a while now, the huge success of K-Pop bands, coupled with the smash hit of Squid Games during the COVID years, has catapulted Korean culture to new heights. On a broad scale, I think players don’t see territory lines
like they used to. They’re more open to other cultures besides the Western culture. A good game is a good game no matter where the developer resides. Black Myth: Wukong intrigued players because of its Chinese cultural storylines and tough gameplay. At my previous company, Pearl Abyss, the update “Land of the Morning Light” for Black Desert Online, which was heavily inspired by cultural myths and fairy tales rooted in the Joseon Dynasty of Korea, hugely appealed to gamers. People are hungry for new stories from different or ancient cultures. Blade & Soul NEO, our latest release, is another
example. Blade & Soul NEO is the remaster of Blade & Soul, and the game was greeted by many players with a huge positive response. Part of the game’s appeal is its unique, highly stylistic art direction, part of it is the original, dramatic storyline, and the other part is that the nostalgic value of playing through the original game is high. Its unique characters, storyline, and combat, based on Eastern martial arts, were not what Western players
expected nine years ago, but they loved it. Now, players are excited to play a new, refreshed version of the original.
NCSOFT has recently made four investments in both Korean and European studios. How do you select which studios to partner with, and what do you look for in a potential collaboration? We look for developers who have strong passion, drive and commitment to creativity, innovation, and originality. We look for games we think will do well globally – both in the East and in the West, not just in one region. We have been well known for PC and mobile MMORPGs for a long time, but now we’re looking at all the game platforms and all different genres. We’re trying to diversify our game portfolio.
You’re expanding your publishing team in the west and even moving to a bigger office. What skills or qualities are you prioritizing in hiring for the new office? We’re looking for passionate gamers who want to make a difference. We need people who want to be part of, and help build, a great team, together. We have open positions in tech-ops, live-production, marketing, community, and customer support. Each position has specific skill sets we’re looking for. For qualities that I look for in candidates, the first thing is passion. How passionate are they for videogames and their job? I also prioritize how eager they are to learn and grow through the job opportunity. Other core values I cherish and prioritize for myself,
staff, and new hires are creativity, persistence, and authenticity. For creativity, I want people who don’t just stay in their comfort zone. Lots of things we do at work come down to problem solving. I encourage my people to be creative in finding the best solution for their problems. Sometimes the solution that worked previously might not work anymore. Because the world is changing, the market is changing, and players’ communities also change over time. Creativity is also about having fun doing what you do. Working in games is such a fun job and there are so many things we can do. I like people who know and love to use their creativity at work. Persistence is about the “never give up” attitude. For live-
34 | MCV/DEVELOP February/March 2025
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