Topic: Sold My Wii...getting ready to move to Korea

[decoyman]

Wow, exciting Spak! Could you send me a PM about this job, and how you found it? And I may have missed you mentioning this already, but do you speak Korean then?

Best of luck with all that... I've really debated whether I should give up the tv (I'd have a hard time giving up video games completely, I think), because there are so many other productive things I could be doing. I always feel guilty after I plop myself down and spend an entire night in front of the tv.

[Spak-Spang]

So I decided to let you know what is going on.

After being in Korea for over a year.  I have not owned a video game system for now over a year.  I had also given away my DS.  It is odd being without a game system but also kinda liberating.  I have been reading more, trying to learn Korean, and focusing on my future.  Not saying that video games have kept me from any of those things, but getting back to basics has helped.

This year I have given up television as well.  It has really opened my eyes to how much time is wasted with that "evil" device.

Anyway, that doesn't mean I have been without games.  In Korea there are many PC Rooms, Singing Rooms, and yes even Wii Rooms to play Nintendo.  The unfortunate thing is S. Korea is so blasted late on getting any games.  I don't really blame Nintendo though, because Koreans don't like to buy anything...they like to steal EVERYTHING. 

I bought a new computer for the Korean church I go to, and wanted to get Microsoft Office installed in English.  They stated they could do that and asked if we needed any other software.  We named a few and asked how much it would cost.  "Oh, we can't charge you for the software, we don't have the authority to sell it."  They could and WOULD give it for free but couldn't sell it.  I asked why, and the guy stated "Koreans don't like to buy software, this never comes up." 

So I have visited the local arcades some which make me happy they exist here even if it just filled with music games and Tekken 6.  I have also visited friends houses and played Xbox 360, PS3, and the occasional Wii.  Being away from games has actually made me think about them more.  I have a better understanding, what I loved about gaming, and which games I liked and why.  It has reaffirmed my love of Nintendo, and why to me Nintendo games are the games I enjoy the most. 

But, what has shocked me, is that here many people do not share my same opinions.  Nintendo is looked down upon because it doesn't have the graphics or Tekken 6.  (I kid you not, Tekken is like king here.)  Anyway, looking at my future in gaming I am leaning to only going portable until I am back stationed for good in America.  And perhaps waiting even longer.  I am really looking at the 3DS as my next and only game system for awhile and as such I am excited and also anxious.  I really want Nintendo to hit a home run with this product, but I know the competition and expectations are extremely high for Nintendo...and I don't think it will be as easy this coming generation. 

We shall see.  Until then, I am still here lurking.  I am not on as much for personal reasons, and I am sorry I have missed so many mafia games and conversations, but I am still here and I am glad many of the same friends I have seen and made are still here. 

[vudu]

I gotta ask--what's it like living in South Korea during the launch of StarCraft 2?

[Spak-Spang]

It's odd.  They are treating it like a movie release would be treated in the States.  All the city buses have advertising for it. 

Lotteria which is like a Korean Mc Donald's has a Star Craft 2 meal.  It doesn't come with a toy, but it comes with something.

Finally, you can play the battle mode online without buying the game, if you have a World of WarCraft account. 

None of the kids are talking about it...except to ask me if I know what different units are or aliens.  I haven't watched the Star Craft channel to see if they have switched over.  I am sure at least one of there programs is now Star Craft 2. 

I thought it would have a larger impact than it has had.  I am kinda shocked.

[Stratos]

Well, I had heard that Starcraft fan-dom there has hit a decline so that may explain the lull in interest.

Wait...A Starcraft channel? As in a television channel?

[MegaByte]

There's a bit more to video game history in Korea.  After WWII, Japanese cultural and related electronic goods were banned in South Korea, not being fully lifted until 2004 (Nintendo of Korea opened in 2006).  That meant that any systems and games Nintendo released in South Korea had to be filtered through a Korean company (Hyundai), so I'm sure that affected availability and popularity.

[TJ Spyke]

IIRC, South Korea is also the country where several people have died from exhaustion for doing stupid stuff like playing MMO's for 55+ hours in a row. MMO's are as common in South Korea as FPS's are in North America or RPG's are in Japan. I am not surprised that there is a StarCraft channel there (although I can't actually find anything online about it or that it even exists).

The ban on Japanese games resulted in the NES being released as "Comboy" in South Korea (not sure if Hyundai or Nintendo picked that weird name). Nintendo is trying to increase sales there, but I guess they are not having as much luck as they want. The Virtual Console gets almost no support (I think it has less than 50 games there).

[Spak-Spang]

There are actually several video game based channels and other interesting channels in Korea.

1) There is the 바둑 which is just the Korean version of Go. 
2) A Channel totally dedicated to gaming tournaments which means Counter Strike, Street Fighter 4, but mostly just Tekken 6.
3) A Channel dedicated to Star Craft and a few Star Craft clones. 
4) Many educational channels
5) 2-3 Channels that all animation.
6) About 3 channels which half their programming is American shows or movies.

The American shows are mostly crap.  Super Natural, CSI, CSI Miami, Ghost Whisper and unedited Sex in the City, over and over again.