“Lies of P” (Neowiz, 2023) takes place in Krat, a fictional city inspired by the Belle Époque period in Europe. One of the game’s NPCs (non-player characters), Eugénie, is portrayed as an outsider from a distant country east of Krat. She claims to come from the so-called ‘country of the morning,’ with a visual character design that resembles East Asian ethnic groups. Perhaps this character’s story was inspired by the Joseon Dynasty, a kingdom that existed on the Korean peninsula from the 14th to 19th century, which was typified as the “Land of Morning Calm” in the West around the 18th century based on the loose translation of the country’s name in Chinese characters (朝鮮). < Back 19 GG Vol. 24. 8. 10. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next Gyuri Kim Interested in the ways games let us experience stories. After poking around here and there, lately played Marathon.

반지하게임즈의 스토리 작가로 활동하기 시작한 이후, 시각장애인의 게임 접근성에 대하여 당사자로서 이야기할 기회가 가끔 생기고 있다. 나는 게임을 좋아하지만 잘 하지 못하고, 현재 가지고 있는 직업도 게임과는 무관한 것이라서 사실 이런 기회가 생길 때마다 늘 조심스럽다. 그래서 이번 글에서는 평범한 시각장애인으로서 내가 경험한 게임에 대하여 이야기하고, 시각장애인들이 더 폭넓게 게임을 즐기기 위해 무엇이 필요한지 역시 한 게이머의 입장으로 말해 보고자 한다. < Back 04 GG Vol. 22. 2. 10. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next Shinhye Kang A blind person with a keen interest in games. Currently teaches Korean at a middle school while also contributing to game story work at Banjihagames.

“장르에 무관하게 예술 작품은 환언하기가 불가능하다. (중략) 지식은 언제나 위로 환언하기 혹은 아래로 환언하기에 해당하지만, 예술은 소크라테스적 철학과 마찬가지로 지식의 일종이 아니기 때문이다.” < Back 07 GG Vol. 22. 8. 10. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next Wombat A freelancer who does odd jobs of all kinds. Interested, fittingly, in all kinds of odds and ends. With games, the interest runs especially deep.

매우 급박하게 변하는 것 같지만 그 기저에 흐르는 도도한 맥락을 놓치지 않고자 하는 것이 〈게임 제너레이션〉의 목표다. 첫 호에 배부를 수는 없겠지만 우리는 꾸준히 그리고 우직하게 그 길로 가고자 한다. 동시대의 교양으로서, 혹은 지금 시대의 가장 뜨거운 놀이로서 게임은 인간에게 어떤 의미인가? 이 질문에 대한 답이, 앞으로 이어질 의 모든 이야기일 것이다.   < Back 01 GG Vol. 21. 6. 10. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next KyungHyuk Lee Game critic and researcher. Since 2015, he has made games his life's work—as a critic, examining how games relate to society, and as a researcher, exploring how games, as commodities, take their place within it. He is the author of Mario, Born in '81 (2017) and The Birth of In-Game Spending (2022), among other works, and has contributed to documentaries including EBS's Docuprime as well as columns across various outlets. He received his PhD from the Graduate School of Communication at Yonsei University for his research analyzing digital games as time-rights commodities. He is the director of the game research lab Dragon Lab and serves as editor-in-chief of Game Generation.

폴더와 디렉토리 기반으로 오프라인 PC에서 파일 관리를 하던 세대들은 요즘처럼 클라우드에 파일을 올려두는 방식을 낯설어 한다는 이야기가 기사로 올라오는 시대다. 바야흐로 온라인이 기본이 되는 시대. 과거에는 PC 한 대에서 데이터를 처리하고 네트워크로 파일을 옮기는 일을 부가적으로 생각하던 시대를 넘어 이제는 정보의 존재위치 자체가 관계망 위에 놓이는 것이 기본인 시대가 되었다. < Back 08 GG Vol. 22. 10. 10. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next KyungHyuk Lee Game critic and researcher. Since 2015, he has made games his life's work—as a critic, examining how games relate to society, and as a researcher, exploring how games, as commodities, take their place within it. He is the author of Mario, Born in '81 (2017) and The Birth of In-Game Spending (2022), among other works, and has contributed to documentaries including EBS's Docuprime as well as columns across various outlets. He received his PhD from the Graduate School of Communication at Yonsei University for his research analyzing digital games as time-rights commodities. He is the director of the game research lab Dragon Lab and serves as editor-in-chief of Game Generation.

이라는 이례적인 작품의 사례는 그 플레이 경험이 어떻게 문화적으로 인식하는지 엿볼 수 있게 해준다. 한편으로는 대항 담론이라는 것이 어떠한 기준점에 부합함과 부합하지 않음으로 나뉘며 게이머 커뮤니티의 ‘진정성’을 강화하고 있지 않은가 하는 질문을 던진다. < Back ‘K-의 거짓’ : 으로 바라보는 스탠드 얼론 게임을 향한 갈망 15 GG Vol. 23. 12. 10. “난 바다 건너 아침의 나라 출신이야. 어떤 곳인지는 묻지 마. 그곳에 대해서는 나도 딱히 말해줄 수 있는 게 없으니까.” 은 벨 에포크 시기의 가상 도시 크라트를 배경으로 한다. 그곳에서 등장하는 NPC 유제니는 거의 유일한 동양인 소녀다. 유제니는 그의 고향을 ‘아침의 나라’라고 직접 밝힌다. ‘고요한 아침의 나라’로 줄곧 서구에 해설되던 1800년대의 조선을 인용하는 셈이다. 기술자로서의 열정을 감추지 않는 유제니는 작중에서 주인공의 장비를 강화하고 수리하는 역할을 도맡았다. 주인공이 여정을 진행하며 크라트라는 세계의 상을 완성해가는 동안, 유제니는 그 한 축이 된다. 그리하여 시계태엽과 기계장치로 맞물린 크라트의 테크놀로지가 스펙터클하게 펼쳐지는 동시에 아침의 나라는 아득한 온정의 저편으로 배치된다. 이러한 설정은 콘솔 게임 세계로의 진출을 열망하며 발현된 국내의 이야기 구도를 유비적으로 환기한다. , 자랑스러운 ‘국산 트리플 A’ 은 국내 게임사인 네오위즈 산하의 라운드8 스튜디오에서 개발되었다. 온라인이 아닌 싱글 플레이 게임을 표방한다는 점에서 스탠드 얼론 게임으로 분류된다. 장르는 일본의 개발사 프롬 소프트웨어에서 유래한 소울라이크다. 이는 한정된 자원을 활용해 전투를 치르고, 맵을 탐색하고 보스와 전투를 벌이는 것을 주축으로 한다. 일반적인 한국 게임이 ‘리니지라이크’로 요약되는 온라인과 모바일에 치중하는 경향이 있다. 그러한 점을 염두에 둔다면 확실히 이질적이다. "소울라이크 팬이라면 만족"과 같은 반응을 이끌어낸 은 ‘국산 트리플 A 게임’으로 자부심을 담아 호명된다. 국산이라는 호명 뒤로는 그간 한국 게임이 어떤 맥락에 놓여 있었는지에 대한 인식이 전제 된다. 2022년 기준으로 게임 이용자가 74.4%에 달할 정도로 게임을 향유하는 사람은 많고 1) , 문화예술진흥법의 대상으로 편성되었지만 정작 문화로서의 위상을 뒷받침할 만한 자국 게임이 부족하다는 절박함이 크게 자리한다. 수용자의 불만은 생산자들의 요구와도 크게 구분되지 않는다. “수익성 등의 현실적인 요소를 고려했다면 이 직업을 선택하지 않았을 것”이라는 최지원 디렉터의 인터뷰 멘트 2) 는 자신을 개발자와 수용자 모두를 아우르는 재미-공동체의 일원으로 정의하는 경향을 드러낸다. 와중에 한국 게임계가 주력하던 온라인 분야에서도 중국의 선두가 이어지며 위기의식이 짙기도 했다. 그래서일까, 뉴스 빅데이터 수집 및 분석 시스템인 빅카인즈에서 을 서치해보면 ‘MMORPG’ ‘다중접속역할수행게임’과 같이 반대 항으로 설정된 장르가 함께 인용되고 있다는 사실을 확인할 수 있다. 이 같은 배경 속에서 출시된 은 한국 디지털 게임의 역사에서 특수한 좌표를 설정한 작품으로 위치 지어진다. 우선 콘솔 게임이라는 타이틀을 내걸고도 성공적인 판매를 거두었다는 측면이 강한 인상을 남긴 듯하다. 10월 17일 기준으로 은 글로벌 누적 판매 100만 장을 달성함으로써 상업성을 입증했다. 판매의 90% 이상이 해외 시장에서 발생했다는 점을 들어 “침체된 한국 게임 시장의 새로운 활로”를 제시한 것으로 기대되기도 한다. 특히나 코로나 특수가 끝나며 전체 게임 이용자의 비율이 현저히 줄어든 시점이다 3) . 콘솔 게임은 드물게 이용률 증가를 경험한 영역으로 부각되었다. 이에 의 성공 경험에 비추어 포화된 모바일 게임 시장을 벗어날 수 있다는 기대가 제시되기도 한다. 4) 그러는 한편, 다른 측면에서는 작품성에 관한 논의가 검토된다. 일반적으로 게임전문지가 기존의 소울라이크 게임과 문법을 인용하며 게임의 작품성을 평가한다. 즉 이 이미 형성된 문법으로서의 소울라이크를 얼마나 충실히 좇는지가 주로 서술된다. 그 안에서 게임의 독자성을 부각하는 요소로는 “최적화”와 “그래픽”이 꼽힌다 5) . “세계적인 개발사들도 PC 구동 환경 마련에서 고전을 면치 못하는 시대에, 독보적으로 완벽한 최적화를 구현해 놀라움을 샀다” 6) , “시원한 타격감, 독특한 세계관, 사실적인 그래픽 등도 호평을 받았다”와 같은 기술이 대표적이다. 7) <폭스 레인저>와 으로 보는 스탠드 얼론 게임의 과거와 현재 이처럼 을 둘러싼 기사들을 읽다 보면, 이전에도 유사한 사례가 있었는지, 그와 관련해 당시에는 어떤 이야기가 오갔을지 불쑥 궁금증이 든다. 한국 게임의 역사를 죽 훑었을 때, 스탠드 얼론 패키지 게임의 시원은 1992년에 발매된 <폭스 레인저>에 닿는다. 이 작품은 소프트 액션 사에서 개발되었다. 한국에서 상업적으로 발매된 최초의 PC 패키지 게임으로 거론된다. 소프트 액션은 “PC 통신망을 통해 한 스테이지만 플레이할 수 있는 공개용 버전을 배포하는 마케팅 기법을 구사”하고, “‘고급 기술’이 구현되었다는 것에 맞춰” 게임을 홍보했다 8) . 이와 같은 지점은 정식 출시 이전에 데모판을 공개함으로써 플레이어를 유치하고 게임의 최적화 수준을 주요한 홍보 지점으로 세운 을 연상케 하는 측면이 있다. 당시의 언론 보도는 외국산 게임에 잠식된 한국을 위기로 진단한다. “일본·미국산이 90%이상을 차지하는 전자게임시장”이라는 문구를 통해 게임 선진국으로 어떤 나라가 상정되는지 확인할 수 있다. 특히 일본은 게임의 개발과 게임 향유 문화의 측면에서 모범상으로 자주 거론된다. 그런 상황 속에서 국내에서 본격적으로 게임 소프트웨어를 개발하기 시작했다는 보도는 사뭇 비장하게 강조된다. 수출주도 경제를 추구하는 기조, 그리고 다가오는 정보화 시대에 부응해야 한다는 필요는 인기 작품 <폭스 레인저>를 개발한 남상규를 “컴퓨터 산업 전사”로 일컫기도 한다 9) . 인터뷰에서 그는 “한글도 모르는 어린이들이 일본 가나 글자를 독해하며 게임에 몰두하는 현실은 크게 잘못된 것”이라고 바라보며 “어떤 소프트웨어보다도 게임 소프트웨어의 국적을 찾는 일이 급하다”고 모종의 사명감을 드러낸다 10) . 이때 게임에서 언어는 ‘우리 것’을 감지할 수 있는 중요한 지표가 된다. 남상규의 인터뷰를 염두에 두고서 2023년에 발매된 으로 다시 돌아와 보자. 이 게임이 별도의 한국어 음성 없이 영어만 녹음한 것은 흥미로운 지점이다. 게임은 다음과 같이 시작된다. 작중 인물인 소피아는 주인공에게 닿길 바라며 말을 건네고, 그리하여 “Can you hear me?”는 그를 어둠으로부터 깨워낸다. 이는 이 글로벌 게임 체인에 깊이 가닿고자 하는 열망과 겹쳐 보인다. 실제로 은 마이크로소프트와 파트너십을 체결하여 게임 패스에 입점했으며, 초국적 기업이 견인하는 거대 콘솔 플랫폼의 일부가 되었다. 그리하여 로컬과 글로벌 사이에서 경합하는 접두사 ‘K-’가 구현된다. 이 접두사는 한국을 환기하면서도 “국가 지리적 범주를 넘어” “원산지가 외국인 콘텐츠를 전유한 사례”로서 복잡한 의미항을 형성하기에 이른다 11) . 즉 은 소울라이크라는 같은 장르를 즐겨 온 전 세계 게이머에게 호소한다. 그러는 동시에 국내의 게이머들에게는 양질의 게임에 대한 갈증을 해소해준다. 그 결과 게임 문화장에서 선진국으로 간주해온 국가와 상호 동등한 주체로 서고 싶다는 국내 게이머들의 기대가 충족된다. 이 같은 점은 을 리뷰하는 매체들에서 드러난다. 독특하게도 몇몇 기사들은 이전에 소울라이크 게임을 플레이한 경험이 없으며 이 첫 소울라이크 게임이라는 점을 밝히고 시작한다. “처음 플레이해보는 기자에게도 P의 거짓은 그야말로 ‘신세계’”와 같은 문장에서 “소울라이크 초심자가 즐겨본 P의 거짓은 ‘지인들에게 자신 있게 권할 수 있는 입문용 소울라이크 타이틀’”로 이어지는 흐름은 사뭇 모순적으로도 들린다 12) . 그러나 여기서 발생하는 결절점을 ‘초대 받음’의 감각으로 읽는다면 어떨까. 은 소울라이크로 상정된 글로벌 콘솔 게임 시장과 한국인 게이머 사이에 놓인 매개물이 되는 것이다. ‘진정한 게임’에 가닿고자 하는 열망 소울라이크 게임에 ‘초대 받음’으로써 느끼는 기대나 흥분이 작품이 제공하는 경험에서 비된다. 한편으로 ‘초대’는 안과 밖의 구분을 상정한다. 그렇다면 어디가 글로벌 콘솔 게임의 내부고 외부일까? 따라서 소울라이크 게임을 플레이함으로써 경험한 긍정적인 기분이 사회적 맥락과 연결되어 있는 것은 아닌지 살펴보는 일이 필요해진다. 미아 콘살보는 <애니팡>과 같은 캐주얼한 소셜 게임이 유행하던 시기, 기존의 게임 개발자 및 커뮤니티가 이를 두고서 ‘진정한 게임’이 아니라며 적대하던 현상에 주목한다. 이에 ‘진정한 게임’과 ‘그렇지 못한 게임’을 가르는 기준이 어떻게 활성화되는지 제시한다. 첫 번째는 과거에 어떤 ‘적통’ 게임을 만들었는지로 구분된다는 점이다. 두 번째는 게임의 메커닉이다. 손가락 터치 몇 번 만으로 간편하게 수행되는 모바일 게임은 키보드·마우스 및 게임 패드와 같이 복잡하고 정교한 조작으로 구동하는 게임에 비해 일견 하찮게 느껴진다. 그 결과 모바일 게임은 진정한 게임이 아니라는 생각에 가닿게 된다. 이러한 기준들을 적용하여 만들어지는 상상의 ‘게이머’ 커뮤니티는 진정한 게임과 그렇지 않은 게임을 구분하는 룰을 영속화한다. 그러한 열망은 왜 한국에서 게임과 친숙한 이들이 에 환호하는지 엿볼 수 있게 해준다 13) . 물론 첫 번째 기준을 문자 그대로 적용할 경우, 의 위상은 다소 애매해진다. 한국 게임사는 일반적으로 온라인 게임을 중심으로 성장을 구가해왔다. 1990년대 후반부터 MMORPG 중심으로의 전환을 거치며 “아케이드 게임과 비디오 게임 위주의 세계 게임 시장의 표준적인 흐름과 뚜렷이 구별되며 철저하게 온라인 게임에 편향된 성장”을 이뤘다. 을 개발한 네오위즈의 경우 <맞고>와 같이 소셜 카지노게임이 매출이 가장 높은 비중으로 실적을 견인해왔다. 즉 ‘진정한 게임’과 거리가 먼 게임을 서비스 해 왔던 온라인 게임 회사들이 다시금 콘솔 게임의 주축이 되고 있다. 그들이 적극적인 행위자가 되어 게임 문화를 제고하기를 바라는 갈망은 “게임 강국 한국에서는 왜 GOTY수상작이 안 나오는 걸까?”와 같은 IT 기사의 제목에서 직접적으로 유추된다 14) . ‘게임 강국’이라는 말에서 전제되는 것은 온라인과 모바일을 바탕으로 수익성을 매끄럽게 구현한 한국의 거대 게임 산업 맥락이다. 물론 배틀 그라운드가 고티를 탄 사례가 있지만, 이 기사에서 비교항으로 설정되어 거론되는 작품은 ‘위쳐 시리즈’ ‘젤다의 전설: 브레스 오브 더 와일드’와 같은 스탠드 얼론 게임이다. 그 같은 논리 설정은 온라인이 ‘진정한 게임’과 일정 부분의 거리가 있음을 드러내는 듯하다. 무엇보다도 을 ‘진정한 게임’으로 인식하게끔 하는 항은 소울라이크라는 장르에서 강하게 유래한다. ‘게임 캐릭터가 아니라 플레이어가 성장한다’는 구현함으로써 직관적인 호소력을 지닌다. 이는 많은 모바일 게임이 간단한 터치로 수행되며, 성장의 감각이 플레이어가 아닌 캐릭터에 축적되는 것과 대비된다. 플레이어의 성장은 그 신체나 인지에 귀속됨으로써 고유성을 확인할 수 있다. 복잡하고 정교한 메커닉을 신체적으로 습득하고 구현한다는 ‘진정한 게이머’ 판타지가 충족된다. 여태껏 게임 담론의 역사는 크게 규제 담론과 산업 담론으로 요약되었다. 중독의 대상이자 건강에 부정적인 영향을 미치는 유해 오락물로서의 게임, 그리고 해외 수출을 견인하는 자랑스러운 국력으로서의 상품이 그것이다. 이 가운데 게임 중독 담론에 위기감을 느낀 게임사들이 ‘한국 게임의 사망’을 부르짖으며 ‘게임은 문화’라는 선언을 방어적으로 되풀이하기도 했다. “오래되고 어색한 슬로건” 15) 이지만 동시에 문화가 품은 넓은 의미에 기대어 역량을 발굴할 가능성을 제시할 수도 있다. 게임이용의 문화사를 발굴하려는 시도가 대표적이다. 이라는 이례적인 작품의 사례는 그 플레이 경험이 어떻게 문화적으로 인식하는지 엿볼 수 있게 해준다. 한편으로는 대항 담론이라는 것이 어떠한 기준점에 부합함과 부합하지 않음으로 나뉘며 게이머 커뮤니티의 ‘진정성’을 강화하고 있지 않은가 하는 질문을 던진다. 1) 한국콘텐츠진흥원, 「2022년 전체 게임 이용률」, 『2022 대한민국게임백서』, 2023, 6쪽. 2) 이시영, 네오위즈 'P의 거짓', ＂기괴하지만 아름다워야한다＂, 고집스러운 철학 녹여내다, 2021.11.30.등록, 게임조선, https://m.post.naver.com/viewer/postView.naver?volumeNo=32855993&memberNo=12478036 3) 한국콘텐츠진흥원, 2023 게임 이용자 실태조사, 2023.10.19. 4) 조충희, 네오위즈 'P의 거짓' 성공, 내년 쏟아지는 콘솔 게임에 대한 기대와 우려, 2023.10.22. 비즈니스 포스트, https://www.businesspost.co.kr/BP?command=article_view&num=330565 5) 김승주, [리뷰] "진실 혹은 거짓" P의 거짓은 재미있나요?, 디스이즈게임, 2023.09.14.등록. https://m.thisisgame.com/webzine/nboard/16/?n=176290#:~:text=%EC%B4%9D%ED%8F%89%ED%95%98%EC%9E%90%EB%A9%B4%20%3CP%EC%9D%98%20%EA%B1%B0%EC%A7%93,%EC%9D%98%20%EA%B1%B0%EC%A7%93%3E%EC%9D%80%20%EA%B2%B8%EC%86%90%ED%95%A9%EB%8B%88%EB%8B%A4 . 6) 길용찬, 프롬도 이건 배워야 한다, 'P의 거짓' 업계 최장점 2가지, 2023.10.19.등록, 게임플, https://www.gameple.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=207420 7) 피노키오 마법 통했다...네오위즈 ‘P의 거짓’ 콘솔 3관왕 비결은, 2022.08.31.등록, 뉴시스, https://mobile.newsis.com/view.html?ar_id=NISX20220830_0001996358 8) 남영. "1990년대 한국 PC 게임 산업: PC 게임 개발자들의 도전과 응전." 한국과학사학회지 39, no. 1 (2017): 33-63. 9) 박종성, 新世代(신세대) 그들은 누구인가 (3) SW의 승부사들, 1993.04.16. 경향신문, 네이버 뉴스 라이브러리 10) 김명환, "우리말로 게임" 국산개발 활기, 1993.01.15. 조선일보, 네이버 뉴스 라이브러리 11) 박소정. "확장하고 경합하는 K : 국내 언론 보도를 통해 본 K 담론에 대한 분석." 한국언론학보 66, no. 4 (2022): 146-147, 10.20879/kjjcs.2022.66.4.005 12) 차종관, 못 깨는데 어떻게 리뷰를 써요…‘P의 거짓’ 해봤더니 2023.09.27.등록, 쿠키뉴스, https://www.kukinews.com/newsView/kuk202309260243 13) Mia Consalvo·Christopher A. Paul, "Facebook Games Were Evil", Real Games: What's Legitimate and What's Not in Contemporary Videogames, 2019:The MIT Press. 14) 김혜지, 게임 강국 한국에서는 왜 GOTY수상작이 안 나오는 걸까?, 2020.05.15.등록, 앱스토리, https://news.appstory.co.kr/report13261 15) 최태섭, 모두를 위한 게임 취급 설명서, 한겨레출판: 2021, 18쪽. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next (연구자) 김규리 게임이 이야기를 경험시키는 방식에 관심이 있습니다. 이것저것 기웃거리다가 최근에는 <마라톤>을 플레이했습니다.

게임이 미술관에서 ‘작품’으로 전시되는 일이 늘어나고 있다. 그림을 그리거나 글을 쓰듯, 게임을 만드는 것 역시 하나의 표현 방식으로 자리 잡고 있다. 예술 매체로서 게임, 예술가로서 게임 제작자. 게임을 예술 매체로 취급하는 새로운 시각과 함께 예술가로서 게임 제작자들의 존재감도 점차 높아지고 있다.   < Back 12 GG Vol. 23. 6. 10. Tags: 제노바첸, 플로우, 작가론 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next Leesun Park Studies games from a social perspective. Believes that games, as a tool, ultimately offer a way to explore what it means to be human. These days, mainly writing.

우문에 현답을 하기는 쉽지 않다. 게임이 일정한 미적인 속성을 체계적이고 인공적으로 구성한 형식이 아니면 무엇일까. 너무나 당연했다. 사진과 영화가 아날로그 기술적 혁신에 대응하는 형식이었다면, 게임은 디지털 혁신에 대응하는 고도의 예술형식이라고 보는 게 당연하고 타당했다. “모든 예술형식의 역사를 보면 거기에는 위기의 시기가 있기 마련인데, 이러한 위기의 시기에는 이들 예술형식은 변화된 기술수준, 다시 말해 새로운 예술형식을 통해서만 비로소 아무런 무리 없이 생겨날 수가 있는 효과를 앞질러 억지로 획득하려고 한다. < Back 12 GG Vol. 23. 6. 10. Tags: 예술 미술 비평 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next Sangwoo Kim Studied philosophy and aesthetics. Has gazed at the world through three lenses—art, media, and games—working in art curating and writing. Curated exhibitions including The Age of Sin (2010) and Just One More Round (2009), co-wrote Game and Cultural Studies, and translated books such as Intimate Murder and Turing's Man.

In March 2024, the South Korean regional chapter of the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) was established. DiGRA is one of the world's largest international associations for academics and professionals who research digital games and associated phenomena. Its Korean chapter, named “DiGRA-K”, is now the latest new regional hub followed by the ones in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. DiGRA-K aims to promote an interdisciplinary approach to game research, strengthen connections with industry and academia, and support the next generation through international collaborations. Notably, DiGRA-K aims to overcome the gap between academic disciplines in Korea when it comes to research games, while seeking to encompass both industry practitioners and academia. < Back [Interview] A journey towards the next step of Korean game research, Prof. Tae-jin Yoon, the president of DiGRA-K 26 GG Vol. 25. 10. 10. In March 2024, the South Korean regional chapter of the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) was established. DiGRA is one of the world's largest international associations for academics and professionals who research digital games and associated phenomena. Its Korean chapter, named “DiGRA-K”, is now the latest new regional hub followed by the ones in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. DiGRA-K aims to promote an interdisciplinary approach to game research, strengthen connections with industry and academia, and support the next generation through international collaborations. Notably, DiGRA-K aims to overcome the gap between academic disciplines in Korea when it comes to research games, while seeking to encompass both industry practitioners and academia. In this issue of GG, we had the opportunity to speak with Professor Yoon Tae-jin from Yonsei University, the co-founder and first president of DiGRA-K, to discuss their organisation’s core goals, key projects, and a critical assessment of Korean game culture. Kang: Shin-kyu Kang, editor of GG Yoon: Tae-jin Yoon, president of DiGRA-K Kang: Thank you for taking part in this Game Generation interview. Since many of our readers are engaged in critical writing, it would be especially helpful if you could share, not only your own perspective on the development of game research in Korea, but also some of the initiatives that DiGRA-K is pursuing to enhance our understanding of games as both cultural and industrial phenomenon. First of all, could you share with us how you became a founding member of DiGRA-K? And perhaps your vision when you took on the role as its first president? Yoon: Frankly speaking, being a procrastinator myself, I’ve never been the type of person to actively volunteer for major organisational roles. But with the case of the DiGRA-K in particular, somehow, I felt different. I’ve been considered that, compared to other academic disciplines, game research in Korea lack academic initiatives. Our situation is so dire, like a plain field with a vast open empty space. Our initial aim was that we should build at least a small hut—a small step at a time, and start populating that open space. Fortunately there were many who were eager to help out. Then what it turns out was that most of our founding members are still juniors in terms of their academic career, which made me suddenly the most senior members in the group. From there, I realized that it was my job to help this community to establish their first milestone. I thought “All I need to do is dig a little ground to settle the hut.” That was the mindset when I stepped in as the president of DiGRA-K. Kang: I’m curious why you chose to register an academic association instead of other forms of social group for researchers. And from there, more specifically, why did you decide to form a Korean regional hub of DiGRA, rather than starting a completely new one from the scratch? Yoon: That’s a bit of a chicken-or-egg question. At the time, while I was thinking about the necessity of academic initiatives for game researchers in Korea, international scholars from DiGRA approached me with an idea: how about settling DiGRA in Korea? As you might already know, Korea is a country with well-established video game industry and gaming culture. And not only with industrial maturity, but also when it comes to gaming policies. And yet, while DiGRA already had chapters in 16 countries there’s none in Korea and very few Korean scholars ever participated in their conferences. So I guess from the DiGRA’s perspective, they wanted Korea would take a more active role in advancing game research discipline. So they approached us and asked if we would be interested in establishing a Korean regional chapter, while also suggested hosting a regular DiGRA conference in Korea. That became our starting point. Kang: There are already a few game-related academic associations in Korea, and some that were established just recently as well. So, compared with these existing organisations, how did you envision DiGRA-K’s unique position? Yoon: I had attended some of the existing associations in the past. But I felt that their academic approaches were different from what I had envisioned about game research. So I never felt compelled to take an active role there. For instance, organisations that primarily focus on computer research or policy analysis felt very specialised and perhaps too specific, and distinct from my academic framework on games and game culture. That was one of the first reasons why I thought we needed a new game research community, DiGRA-K. Of course, I consulted with colleagues who were active in those other organisations, doing research on games in other disciplines. And matter in fact, some of them eventually became advisors to DiGRA-K. Kang: I also had a similar impression that many of the existing game-related organisations in Korea tend to be oriented toward business or engineering related academic disciplines, somewhat distant for game researchers. They are also quite specific and narrow in the sense that we would need a more inclusive venue to accommodate this multidisciplinary field of games. In contrary, in the case of DiGRA-K, some might argue that its founding board members are lean too much on media and cultural studies background. What’s your thought on this view? Yoon: I believe the academic orientation of an ‘association’ will naturally take shape over time. Even if you try to set a specific direction from the beginning, it rarely stays the same along the course. When we founded DiGRA-K, I had two seemingly contradictory thoughts: On one hand, I thought it might be impactful to build a specialised association that narrowly accommodate game cultural studies, in the same way that some of the other associations focus on other game-related topics like law, policy, or engineering. On the other hand, because we are also a local chapter of DiGRA, which hosts international academic conferences while actively seeking collaboration with the game industry, I concerned the inclusivity of the topic would limit the venue’s true potential. So basically, it was about whether to build a group with a deep-focused unique identity or instead taking a more of a generalist approach. But then when I supervise my students, I often use the term “funnel”. As in, you may start with a broad topic in the beginning, but gradually narrow down until you reach your own unique contribution to the academic field. We realized that we see the future pathway of DiGRA-K in the same manner. At this early stage, I believe we should maintain a broad and inclusive scope so that the venue is open to game researchers from various disciplines like programming, design, development, marketing, and beyond. But that doesn’t mean we aim to cover absolutely everything about games. Gradually, the areas where we have greater expertise or a stronger interest will emerge and thus clarifies the identity of DiGRA-K eventually. But for now, I want to maintain a sense of openness and flexibility of our organisation. Kang: I’ve also had the impression recently that academic associations don’t really change much regardless of who becomes their leader. But as you said, if the organisation can broadly encompass a diverse range of people at the top – top of the “funnel” per se, and then gradually narrows down collectively by its members, then perhaps it could strike a balance between broadness and specificity. I can see where you’re visioning and personally also agree with that direction. Then, since its establishment in March 2024, DiGRA-K has been actively holding events and projects. Could you tell us more on those, and perhaps the one that you personally feel accomplished the most? Yoon: From the very beginning, our founding members’ primary agenda was to do a foundational work for DiGRA-K. And there were two things I emphasised in doing that. One is to foster international academic exchange and facilitate an environment to nurture the next generation of game scholars. Secondly, I also wanted to ensure that DiGRA-K remained connected to the game development scene, constantly attempting to share knowledge and information with the game practitioners. International collaboration is at heart of our organisation’s goal, as one of the regional chapter of the worldwide DiGRA network. But one of the concerns that I have in mind about the Korean academic scene is that the concept of “international collaboration (knowledge exchange)” is often misrepresented and very one-sided. For instance, Korean universities or associations tend to spend a lot of money to host a foreign scholar’s visit, to hear what these foreigners have to say, and then make a big fuss about it in the press. Honestly, the game development scene is no exception to these odd interpretations of “international collaboration”. What I would like to see is a more natural flow of knowledge sharing and exchange of insights. There are many people coming to Korea of their own will, either as tourists, international students, or researchers. Some researchers wish to come here as visiting scholars so they can do research in Korea. I want DiGRA-K to welcome as many of these willing individuals as possible. So that they are not excluded from the local community of scholars here in Korea, and to engaged in continuous efforts together, instead of situated as others. The recent two international talks we organised through DiGRA-K were meant for that exact idea. It was organised in a way that Korean students, industry professionals, and researchers would feel like visiting scholars from abroad is not just here to give a one-sided talk but should be welcomed and engaged in long-term discussion. So in a way, intercultural knowledge exchange in a natural and welcoming atmosphere. In terms of nurturing the next generation of game scholars, I guess that’s a shared concern in every academic fields. But especially in game research, due to its short-history and still fragile ground of games in conventional academic landscape, I’ve seen many young game scholars eventually departure from this field of research. For example, sociologists or psychologists who begin by studying games often shift to other topics to seek research jobs or to align with funding requirements. To prevent this, I want DiGRA-K to become a communal space that can accommodate researchers of all levels interested in games, sending young scholars a message that there are people and a community who will continue to care about their work. Kang: I get the impression that, for you, both international collaboration and nurturing younger scholars are not about creating something grand but more about laying a foundation to build a natural and inclusive atmosphere of co-learning. I also think this issue applies not only to early-career researchers but to established senior scholars as well. For example, there were a number of Korean media researchers who studied games in the early 2000s, but you may be the only one in Korea that still actively doing media studies on games to this date. Ensuring the long-lasting space for game research, therefore, appears to be a challenging task – junior or senior alike. Then let me turn the question towards you. You started your academic career researching Korean popular culture, coming from television studies, before shifting your attention to games. Then where do you position yourself as a researcher? Yoon: I regard myself as a popular culture researcher. For instance, one might have read far fewer webcomics than younger people, but still can research webcomics. One who can’t immediately guess all those names of popular K-pop groups still can do research on K-pop phenomenon. By that same logic, I study games, but I don’t necessarily consider myself a researcher who is solely devoted to researching games. My research was heavily focused on games up until about 2010. After that, I spent several years researching the Korean Wave (hallyu). Since 2017–2018, I’ve returned to conducting more game research. As I’m about to retire in about ten years, I think at this state, my final years of academic career are likely to be devoted on game culture studies. So in that perspective, I see perhaps the title of “born-as” game researcher will become more common in the next generation. Kang: Hearing you say that makes me wonder, who really counts as a “game researcher”? And what does it mean to be one? This might be something readers of GG are curious about as well. For instance, I sometimes feel that when I teach game-related courses at university. At some point I wish I could proudly say things like, “I play (this game) better than you,” to the students, so they can appreciate my expertise in teaching games. Because in gaming, people tend to think that “no one can talk about games better than the person who plays it best.” In which, creates sort of skepticism among gamers toward game researchers. In light of that, what is your message towards gamers on behalf of game researchers? Yoon: I think that’s a very common dilemma among game researchers. I don’t think game researchers should try pretending that they are also good at playing games, or to confront to answer that question at all, just for the sake of justifying their legitimacy of doing research. The most common way to answer that question long has been, phrases like, “Just because you like games and play them well doesn’t make you a good scholar!” or “I may not be good at games, but I’ve had extensive scholarly training!” Unfortunately, I don’t think that would convince anyone at this state of time. I personally identify myself as a game researcher, as a kind of television (studies) researcher from the 1970s. Back when I was in university in the 1980s, many lecturers and professors taught their students about television and media despite they didn’t know much about how the television industry works. Some hardly even watched TVs. But were their research and lectures meaningless? They did. Their most significant contribution is that they seeded the idea that “we can research television. It is a legitimate object for scientific research”. That very idea is how they managed to train their students, who later in turn produced further advanced knowledge on television. So in a sense, I agree with Henry Jenkins—ultimately, it’s better when fans become scholars rather than scholars trying to become fans. That’s perhaps a more sustainable direction for the discipline. For me, personally, I think I’m too senior to start going that path. So when such questions about my gaming skill arise, I respond by saying: “You, the players, have much more potential to become a game researcher than I do. My job is to build a pathway for you.” I think of research organisation like DiGRA-K are, again, a ‘small hut’ in the plain field where, when the day comes that these young gamers can go and claim their ownership for it. And by that point, I believe the community of game researchers will mature academically in ways we can’t yet imagine. Kang: There are also various collaborations between an academically established senior scholar and young gamers with an insightful mindset. In that sense, as a supervisor, do you enjoy interacting and co-working with students who genuinely love game? If so, did those engagements with students also provides you inspiration for future research in return? Yoon: Absolutely. This might sound cliché, but I genuinely learn far more from my students. I often get bored when I have to approach my students’ papers simply as an instructor. Whereas I think about 70% of what I learn these days comes from reading my students’ dissertations and papers. When I come across something interesting in their work, I go on to explore it further myself. That’s how I learn these days, and how I’ve been conducting research alongside my students. Kang: Then what role can game research play for gamers? While DiGRA-K is currently aiming to foster dialogue between academia and industry, I feel that engaging with gamers could be something that should be achieved in the long run. If so, how can game researchers communicate meaningful dialogue with gamers? Yoon: That question reminds me of Korea’s long vibrant history of Korean film fandom. There were many cinephiles (i.e., people who are fond of cinema), and some of them went on to become film directors, producers, or even studied abroad to become scholars. If the Korean film research scene had been more developed at the time, they might have been able to accommodate those passionate individuals to also become scholars. And perhaps that could have flourished the Korean film scene yet again, with energy and innovative thinking of cinephiles to bridge the gap between film academia, industry, and various other related fields. I think a similar process is possible with games. Of course, the scale and characteristics of Korean game scenes and film scenes are different. But there are already people doing similar things for games. For example, I think the “GG Game Critic Award” is an excellent example as a venue for networking and knowledge exchange between game enthusiasts and game critics. It provides people with a message that anyone can provide and learn about new insights and perspectives on games, or get to learn about other countries’ game discourse, and etc, even if you’re not a trained game researcher. As long as you love games and have a good idea, then anyone could join the discourse. Such openness and accumulated energy will eventually synergy together to flourish both the game industry and game research discipline. Kang: I sometimes feel that while it’s beneficial for those studying popular culture or film to naturally extend their work into games. But it also raises the question of the specificity of researching “games” – the unique elements that only apply to games. You’ve already described what you envision about DiGRA-K. But then, how could DiGRA-K contribute, and game research as a whole, to move forward in the absence of distinctly game-specific theories or methodologies? If anyone trained in popular culture studies can analyse games as a research object, then what is game research? Have you thought about this? Yoon: I see things a bit differently. I’m not hinged on the idea that game research needs to establish a fully independent academic identity, and I also disagree that one research discipline must acquire distinct theories or methodologies to achieve its ground. Take qualitative research as an example. Every discipline has its own version of qualitative methods, but in practice, the differences primarily lie in research topics and interest. So I see the drive to create discipline-specific methods as more of a compulsion, per se, than a necessity. When we founded DiGRA-K, it was to initiate an academic venue. More of an institutional purpose. We didn’t find DiGRA-K to segregate game research as a stand-alone discipline away from other academic groups like in sociology or media studies. In fact, I think it’s perfectly okay if people see our organisation as a place to drop by to see about game research. It’s fine even if they are not solely devoted for this particular research discipline. For the same reason, we welcome amateur critics or industry practitioners to our organisation. They can come as they will and leave also as they will. They could contribute to our community for a while and then always can move on. A sort of natural flow of knowledge exchange. Besides, I think the very definition of “games” is becoming blurred. Take a look at various media phenomena around us these days, like short-form video, the metaverse, virtual reality, and augmented reality and so forth. Some might argue that this is precisely why we must quickly solidify the ontological definition of games and thus the identity of game research as stand-alone discipline and institutionalise it, and lay down a strong footstep. On the other hand, some might counter argue that we should deliberately keep the game research scene fluid and inclusive, enabling a wide range of topics to be explored under its umbrella, and in turn, letting game research contribute outward to other areas as well. I lean overwhelmingly toward this second opinion. Kang: Let me ask a bit more about the direction of DiGRA-K. Do you see ways in which the association could engage practically more or even intervene in societal issues surrounding the game industry and its culture? For instance, the interpretation and implementation of the WHO’s gaming disorder classification? Yoon: Let me answer this question in two parts. First, I don’t think it’s appropriate for the academic association itself to assert a rigid position on such contentious issues. In my view, the role of an academic group is to create a space where people with diverse views can come together and discuss. Whether it’s about supporting or opposing the classification of gaming disorder, or how to regulate loot boxes…I don’t see the compelling reasons why association like DiGRA-K would have to decide which side they are in – one side or the other. However, I do think we need to be agile in responding to specific issues. For example, we are already planning a seminar early next year, specifically on the issue of the WHO’s gaming disorder manual. The seminar is about exploring international cases and see how it is being codified into law or institutional actions, and what the potential problems are. Our aim here is to approach the issue openly in a way that could open up a new perspective of seeing things – to start a dialogue. In short, I oppose steering the association to a specific direction, either towards an overtly industry-friendly or policy-driven manner. I also consider that our organisation must be clear about that. But if there are particularly important issues related to the game industry, political discourse, society, or international relations, then yes, I do believe we should quickly act and create a space for experts to come together and discuss. Kang: Good point. I hope your vision on DiGRA-K could reach to more people out there, so that people from various fields and disciplines can freely come and engage to research games. Yoon: Since this interview will be published to online readers of GG, I would also like to point out one additional thing although this might sound a bit of a sidetrack. I don’t know how many GG readers are game scholars or students, or amateur critics or gamers who love games and want to read articles about them. It is unfortunate that these days, many people tend to make a kind of “political judgment” whenever a new organisation is established, when a book is published, or a game-related event happens. And by “political”, it’s no longer conventional political discourse on left vs. right. More so, we’re seeing more and more cynical and polarised responses on every spectrum, such as “Oh, DiGRA-K. This is probably a pro-game industry organisation trying to make money,” or “That person’s a feminist, so articles from this person would be full of shit,” or “This book is obviously written with some hidden message” etc etc. We saw some of those reactions to articles at the GG Game Critic Award, in which readers were dismissing some of the submissions claiming that they are “wrong.” Perhaps, compared to other fields of popular culture, such as television or K-pop, reactions toward games are often more skeptical and cynical, with hardly ever a positive response. It can be challenging to find supportive or forward-thinking attitudes in the gaming world these days. I do hope this culture will shift eventually. I know it won’t disappear entirely, and what we can hope for is to reduce the severity of its toxicity at most as it is coming from a larger gamer discourse worldwide not just in Korea. But I still want to say out loud here that we, who love games, should eventually have to move on from normalized habitual negativity. And perhaps start asking ourselves, “what can (we) contribute to make the game scene better?” Of course, game companies have made mistakes and wronged people. But ultimately, the industry also needs to exist and thrive so that ones can continue to make games that we love. Despite I myself have little interest in game business, policy, or management, I still know in my heart that it would be devastating if the gaming scene were to collapse. The same goes for academia. People often react cynically towards academia, with comments like, “Oh, professors just published yet another book on whatever by making their students to write something.” But I still believe there is always something that can be seen and told positively if one looks for it. Kang: We’ve covered a lot today. Thank you for providing valuable insight. And this is going to be the last question for today. Which, a question from editor-in-chief, who insisted that we should ask this question to you: As president of DiGRA-K, what’s your favorite game? Yoon: Well, for some reason, I can’t really play games where I have to clash with strangers online. It’s just my personal preference, not wanting to show others how bad I am at games (laughs). So I tend to stick to games without Internet connections, like console games or single-play mobile games, which I can play by myself. And since I usually play games as a short break from work, I prefer ones that end quickly. Arcade games, for example. I also often play simple crosswords or match-3 puzzles. The game I’ve played the longest in my life is actually , which I played when I was young while studying abroad. At that time, I wasn’t good at speaking their local language so got bored and lonely. So I played games to overcome that boredom. I eventually became quite good at it, to the point that when I walk into the arcade shop, people would step aside to give me more space. I also played and with my kids. More recently, I’ve tried games like and , partially because everyone else around me was playing those games – more like social obligation rather than my personal interest in that game per se. Although I actually quite enjoyed . So I also try out games that seem worth trying out, even if that wouldn’t fit my personal preference. And I guess that’s about it. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next (문화연구자) 김지수 문화와 지식, 공간과 학술 장 등 다양한 영역을 공부합니다. 게임의 역사와 게이머의 생활에도 관심을 가지고 있습니다. (Doctoral researcher at Aalto University, Finland) Solip Park Born and raised in Korea and now in Finland, Solip’s current research interest focused on immigrant and expatriates in the video game industry and game development cultures around the world. She is also the author and artist of "Game Expats Story" comic series. www.parksolip.com

다만 이러한 현실 추수적인 시각을 바탕으로 BM을 긍정해 나가면서 한국 게임 시장은 더욱 노골적으로 메타버스, P2E, NFT 등 현행 법률로 합법화되기 어려운 영역까지 허용해 달라고 당국에 요청하기에 이르렀다. 특히 최근의 게임 회사들은 플레이의 외부적 요소로 취급되던 현금과 결제, 캐릭터의 성장 요소를 더욱 외재화하여 환금성을 부추기게 된다면, 이는 한국 게임업계가 그동안 트라우마로 안고 있었던 “바다 이야기” 사태로 다시 돌아갈지도 모른다는 우려가 나온다. < Back 06 GG Vol. 22. 6. 10. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next Jeong Yeop Lee Professor in the Department of Culture & Contents at Soonchunhyang University. Researches game storytelling and game design as central concerns, and led the founding of the Busan Indie Connect Festival—a leading indie game festival—where serves as head of the jury. Also a juror for the Independent Games Festival (IGF), one of the most prestigious indie game events internationally. Books include Digital Storytelling (co-authored, 2003), Digital Games: A New Territory of Imagination (2005), Indie Games (2015), Stories Become Transformers (co-authored, 2015), Mario, Born in '81 (co-authored, 2017), The Theory of Games (co-authored, 2019), and Games Are Games: Game × Ecosystem (co-authored, 2021).

1993년 [시스템 쇼크]라는 비디오 게임이 발매되었다. 호러 성향의 던전 크롤러와 FPS 액션 간의 결합한 이 게임은 여러 지점에서 게임 서사 전달 방식에 새로운 가능성을 개척했다. 바로 ‘오디오 로그’ 칭하는 음성 기록물이었다. 비디오 게임에 등장하는 오디오 로그는 기본적으로 필드 내 아이템으로 배치되어 있다. 오디오 로그가 있는 장소에서 일어났던 사건을 실시간으로 기록하고, 이전에 있었던 사건을 회고하는 내용들로 이뤄져 있다. 플레이어가 오디오 로그를 읽기 시작하면 화면 좌측 아래엔 오디오 로그를 남긴 주인의 이미지가 뜨고, 중앙 아래에는 내용 텍스트가 뜬다. 스피커에서는 주인이 내용을 낭독하는 음성이 흘러나온다. < Back 13 GG Vol. 23. 8. 10. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next Yihwan Lee After completing the Master of Fine Arts in Cinema Studies at the School of Film, TV & Multimedia, Korea National University of Arts, currently contributes film and game criticism. Loves adventure games. (antistar23@gmail.com )

<심 어스>라는 게임에서 플레이어는 특정 생물군을 지능을 가진 사회적 군집체로 진화시킬 수 있는데, 이들이 기술발전만 급격하게 이루고 철학과 윤리 발전이 늦어지면 결국 핵전쟁으로 멸망하는 경우를 만날 수 있습니다. 전쟁까지는 아니지만, 우리는 커뮤니케이션 기술의 발달이 가져온 사회에서 댓글로 사람이 죽는 시대를 목도하고 있습니다. < Back 14 GG Vol. 23. 10. 10. Tags: 글이 맘에 드셨다면 공유해보세요. Facebook X (Twitter) Copy link Previous Next KyungHyuk Lee Game critic and researcher. Since 2015, he has made games his life's work—as a critic, examining how games relate to society, and as a researcher, exploring how games, as commodities, take their place within it. He is the author of Mario, Born in '81 (2017) and The Birth of In-Game Spending (2022), among other works, and has contributed to documentaries including EBS's Docuprime as well as columns across various outlets. He received his PhD from the Graduate School of Communication at Yonsei University for his research analyzing digital games as time-rights commodities. He is the director of the game research lab Dragon Lab and serves as editor-in-chief of Game Generation.