With COVID-19 drastically impacting various economies around the world, South Korea has recently decided to combat the pandemic by focusing on efforts to expand its cultural presence with what is known as the Hallyu Wave (the Korean Wave). The Hallyu Wave is notably known to encompass much of South Korea’s success in the music and entertainment aspect, but as of lately, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has announced plans to broaden their reach to the esports community.
To many, esports in South Korea is recognized as both a fun and competitive outlet for professional gamers. Online games such as League of Legends, Overwatch, and Starcraft are some of many that are enjoyed by participants. The country itself is home to some of the world’s finest esports players, such as Lee Sanghyuk (alias “Faker”) and Lee Hosung (alias “Duke”). As esports continues to garner the interest of gamers across the globe, South Korea made the call to diversify their influence and invest more into cultural technology.
This includes funding the creation of more advanced AR/VR technology and the cultivation of institutions that will produce and disperse innovative games. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hopes that these efforts will encourage people from across the globe to easily access games and technology manufactured within South Korean borders.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also released contracts regarding fair treatment of esports players and gaming organizations. This is in response to some of the criticisms made against the esports community for minimizing efforts to protect esports players and their rights in the competitive gaming industry.
The ministry announced three different contracts curated for the purpose of maintaining fairness: the Esports Player Standard Contract, the Esports Trainee Standard Contract, and the Teenage Esports Player Standard Affiliated Agreement.
A ministry official stated that these contracts attempt to “protect the right of players who have relatively less power while allowing rightful investment and profit for gaming organizations.”
With these changes made to South Korea’s esports community, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism hopes that they can continue to offer the world a more diverse cultural output, putting the country in the lead for multiple industries.
Julie Kim
Asia Journal
Los Angeles Times Advertising Supplement)
