South Korea has been fertile ground for online game developers. The country has countless internet cafes filled with gamers nationwide and even TV stations for broadcasting games. Especially since the country is also a major developer of online games itself, online games that have hit it big in South Korea have tend to do well elsewhere in the region, and has also established partnerships and investments with major foreign gaming companies.

Korea’s advanced online games have been widely successful, with primary export destinations as the United States (with Maple Story), Japan (Aion) and Taiwan (Kart Rider) with increasing market penetration and revenue coming from China, and popularity in Malaysia, Thailand, and Europe. Nexon America Inc., the U.S. division of Asia leading Korean online games company Nexon Corporation’s first release “MapleStory” (2D side-scrolling fantasy MMORPG with cartoony graphics), had exceeded three million registered users in North America, making it one of the fastest growing MMO(massive multiplayer online) games, known for its robust community and the ability to personalize game characters in endless combinations.
There have also been websites that provide popular Korean online games such as gamengame.com in English, for free.

Foreign developers have already been seeking out juicy opportunities and investment strategies with Korean developers in online gaming industry
In 2006, EA(Electronic Arts), the biggest game software producer in the world, had joint hands with Korea’s number one gaming company Neowiz and co-developed their first game, FIFA online. In an effort to enter the online gaming industry, EA has strategically sought this opportunity to learn about the Asian online game market region through Neowiz, as Korean games have already established a footing in the region. Hence, FIFA online has been one of Korea’s number one online game, and it has been further developed for consoles such as Xbox due to its popularity. Other joint developments included NBA Street Online and Battlefield online.

Though game users in many other countries have been more friendly with console games to online game, with the worldwide proliferation of broadband internet access and the rapid growth of internet users, brings positive prospect to the future of Korea’s online gaming industry. It seems that there is much room for further expansion and development in this massive multiplayer industry, meaning Korea’s online games are the thing to look out for!

According to a quarterly report by Akamai, South Korea has been once placed on top of the Broadband Connection Speed by country list for the fourth quarter of 2009.

Despite the fact that its internet performance has fallen by 29% YoY in the transmission speed of 11.7Mbps to stay level, they still have been able to maintain their much leading top spotl, as the average of the top 3 countries, Korea, Hong Kong and Japan, still remains at 9.3Mbps.

Korea’s standing in the 2010 first quarter report definitely seems to be promising.

                                                     (Source: Akamai)

Since Samsung Electronics release the world’s first Full HD 3D LED TV on February 25th, there has been explosive responses worldwide. Over the past 6 weeks, Samsung’s 3D TV has reached 10,000 in domestic sales, which means that 245 sets have been sold daily,  and just announced that it is expanding its production number from 2 million to 3 million as demands have been higher that expected.

Samsung has applied the ‘2D → 3D converting technology’ that allows the viewers to watch all programs in 3D with a click of the remote. It has a ‘real black filter’ to add shaded depths to bright areas of the scene to give a more dimensional figure. Furthermore, viewers can adjust amongst the 10 levels of the 3D effect. It has higher definition, with a slimmer design of 23.9mm, and is price competitive compared to the existing LED TV model.

Since its launching events in Europe, US, Latin America, and the CIS a month ago as, Samsung is leading a 3D TV fever with its global marketing strategy. Orders have been flooding, that Samsung 3D TV exports had to be shortly delayed.

In Manhattan’s Samsung 3D TV launching event, director of ‘Avatar’ James Cameron showed up and praised Samsung as “Beautiful and a business leader of the TV industry that has brought the 3D entertainment from theaters into our everyday homes.”

ESPN, Sogeocable, SBS have already gained 3D broadcasting rights for the 2010 South Africa Worldcup, which is expected to further boost demand for 3D TVs.

3D is expanding into major motion pictures, animation, home entertainment, concerts, sporting events, broadcasting television, advertising & smartphones. It is clear that the 3D industry is now never like the shows you saw in theme parks with the disposable blue& red glasses. 3D entertainment is not going to be a circus that leaves when the novelty is gone. It is here to stay and Korea is no way a trivial player in this field.