N WN WT
he second entry in our tabletop travel
diary sees us jetting north across the
Paci c from last month’s destination
of Taiwan to the bustling city of Seoul.
South Korea’s capital city serves as the gaming
hub of the country, with its city limits containing
more than half of the nation’s numerous board
game shops and cafés. Back in 2004, e Dice
Tower personality Tom Vasel described Korea
as slowly becoming a Mecca of board gaming,
largely down to the country’s passion for
board game cafés. In fact, Korea could be seen
as having paved the way for the increasing
number and popularity of gaming cafés that
have since popped up across the UK and US.
Whilst not as much of a powerhouse of original
design compared to the West, Korea is nonetheless
home to several traditional games and a growing
number of contemporary family-friendly titles.
e simple game of Yut Nori is a common
pastime amongst children, especially during
Korean New Year. e race game, commonly
played out across a fabric board, uses yut-
sticks in place of dice. e sticks are curved on
one side, resulting in two potential outcomes
when thrown. Combining the results of the
four sticks determines how far a player can
move around the board, with the rst player
to have all four of their ‘mal’ (‘horse’) tokens
circle back round to the start space winning.
Other traditional games include Five Field
Kono, an abstract strategy game similarto Chinese checkers, and Gonggi, a tricky
children’s dexterity game played with pebbles
or weighted plastic stones.
Korea has only recently delved into the world
of contemporary board gaming, with its most
notable releases appearing in the mid-2000s.
As well as employing the talents of regional
designers, Korean publishers also seek out
international designers willing to jump on
board with developing games in Korea.
One of Korea’s rst big hits was Coconuts
by Austrian designer Walter Schneider. is
colourful dexterity game sees players using cute
monkey gures to catapult coconuts into cups
placed on the table.
Designer Justin Oh has also boosted Korea’s
gaming output, creating a series of dexterity
and abstract games. e most popular of Oh’s
designs are Toc Toc Woodman (reimplemented
as Click Clack Lumberjack in Europe), a dexterity
game where players attempt to knock bark o a
precariously stacked tree, and Gemblo, a strategy
game featuring coloured translucent hexes.
Recently, Korean designers have been keen
to show o games that stray from the popularity
of dexterity games. 2013’s Patchistory, from
designers Yeon-Min Jung and Jun-Hyup
Kim, is a clever civilisation game featuring
aspects of tile-laying, auctioning and resource
management. Far more complex and strategic
than the above games, Patchistory is an
innovative take on a classic genre.
As well as the growing number of regional
designs, Korea publishers produce their
own renditions of well-known games
complete with regional artwork and
luxury components. e Korean release
of Reiner Knizia’s Modern Art, for
example, comes with a stunning wooden
gavel, metal coins and alternative cards
featuring art from ve Korean traditional
artists. Regional artists have also takentheir hands to hits such as Love Letter, High Society
and original Korean-inspired expansion cards
for the localised version of rough the Ages.
Korea’s largest publisher and distributer
Korea Boardgames is an incredible example of a
company engaging with its community. Based in
the Gyeonggi province, Korea Boardgames not
only handles distribution deals with companies
such as Kosmos, Amigo and Mattel, but also
holds regular events to promote the hobby.
ese have included monthly tournaments
held in the capital’s numerous cafés, as well
as annual game design competitions. e
label has also involved itself with educational
programmes, aiming to enhance the creativity
and social skills of young people across Korea.
Korea Boardgames’ e orts to engage with the
community, such as its associations with popular
gaming YouTube channels, are also helping
to support the small businesses that keep the
board game scene accessible and exciting.
rough its blossoming community and
growing library of regional games, Korea is
becoming a notable presence in the world of
gaming. By partnering publishers with cafés,
schools, YouTube channels and even TV shows,
Korea has created a thriving board gaming scene
that ows through business, education and the
gaming community as a whole, bringing people all
over the country together around the tabletop.SOUTH
KOREA
Words by Chad Wilkinsonaround the world in 80 plays
Recently, Korean designers have been keen
to show o games that stray from the popularity to show o games that stray from the popularity
of dexterity games. 2013’s of dexterity games. 2013’s Patchistory
designers Yeon-Min Jung and Jun-Hyup designers Yeon-Min Jung and Jun-Hyup
Kim, is a clever civilisation game featuring Kim, is a clever civilisation game featuring
aspects of tile-laying, auctioning and resource aspects of tile-laying, auctioning and resource
management. Far more complex and strategic management. Far more complex and strategic
than the above games, PatchistoryPatchistoryPatchistoryPatchistory is an is an
innovative take on a classic genre.innovative take on a classic genre.luxury components. e Korean release luxury components. e Korean release luxury components. e Korean releaseexample, comes with a stunning wooden example, comes with a stunning wooden example, comes with a stunning wooden
gavel, metal coins and alternative cards gavel, metal coins and alternative cards gavel, metal coins and alternative cards
featuring art from ve Korean traditional featuring art from ve Korean traditional featuring art from ve Korean traditional
artists. Regional artists have also taken artists. Regional artists have also taken artists. Regional artists have also takenSOUTH SOUTH SOUTH
tabletopgaming.co.uk 47Traditional game Yut Nori is
a simple race with yut-sticks
used in place of dice (National Institute
of Korean Language)