Logo by MP83

Articles | Features | Blog | Forums | Writers Wanted

A History of Korean Gaming

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Table of Contents

HG101 Index

이오리스 Eolith
Founded: April 1996
Status: taken over by Netbrain (March 16th, 2005)
Key People:
CEO (April 1996-March 2004)

CEO (March 2004-March 2005)
최상덕 Choe Sangdeok:
CEO (March 2005-2006)
이상현 Yi Sanghyeon:
Director R&D
Website: www.eolith.co.kr (offline)

엠드림 M-Dream
Founded: February 2000
Status: defunct (around 2007)
Key People:
CEO
Website: www.m-dream.com (offline)

네오리스 Neolith
Founded: May 2008
Status: active?
Key People: 최현정 Choe Hyeonjeong:
CEO
Website: none

Profile:

First investments into the enterprise that would eventually form the arcade game manufacturer Eolith were made at Kum Gang in March 19941, and although Eolith was founded as an independent company in 1996, Kum Gang published their early arcade games. In the new millenium, Eolith formed a small chain of franchise arcades called G-Park and registered at KOSDAQ on June 7th, as the first Korean arcade game maker2. Besides video games, their mechanical redemption machines Eldorado (Ministry of Culture and Tourism Game of the Month June 2001) and Mugunghwa Kkot-i Pieosseumnida ("The roses of Sharon have blossomed"; Game of the Month November 2001 & Arcade Game of the Year 2001)3. Although some of their Hidden Catch games were marketed in Europe, the global gaming community only really took notice of the company when some of the rights to SNK properties landed in its hands, and it found itself in charge for The King of Fighters 2001 and 2002 (the majority of the game credits still went to the same team as other episodes, though, with only a nominal director and a producer from Eolith staff).

M-Dream was founded by a former Eolith employee and specialized in developing mobile games, mostly ports of famous Japanese arcade games, they had an especially strong bond with Taito. They also developed a couple of online titles, and localized and published a number of PS2 and PC games. In November 2002 the subsidiary M-Dream China was formed4.

After reaching its height in 2001, Eolith came into financial troubles, and in November 2003 merged with M-Dream5. The joined companies operated as Eolith, but M-Dream's Choe Jeongho became its new CEO (from March 2004), and the M-Dream name never disappeared, but even outlived Eolith. Half a year after merging with M-Dream and shifting the main focus to mobile games, Eolith reportedly was in the black again for the first time in three years6.

The merger couldn't save Eolith in the long run, though. In On June 3rd, 2005 it was bought out by another company called Netbrain7, eventually integrated in the pharma company Neurotech and thoroughly restructured. Eolith finally disappeared when it was renamed to Neurotech Pharma on November 8th, 20068. M-Dream, seemingly a separate company again, continued to publish mobile games until 2007, but then quietly disappeared as well (the M-Dream China homepage is still available, but hasn't been updated since).

In May 2008, a new company named Neolith appeared, which seems to own at least some former Eolith properties, as it uses the same logo and continues the Hidden Catch series (which in the meantime had gotten another sequel published by F2System). Not much is known about Neolith, though, as it doesn't have a web presence. It received government support of 160,000,000 Won, but never showed much of a result9.


Games:

Screaming Hunter (스크레밍헌터) - Arcade (December 1996)


Screaming Hunter

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Screaming Hunter

Ksana - Arcade (March 1997)


Ksana

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Ksana

Grand Prix Derby - Arcade (July 1997)


Grand Prix Derby

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Grand Prix Derby

Racoon World - Arcade (December 1997)


Racoon World

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Racoon World

Linky Pipe - Arcade (December 1997)


Linky Pipe

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Linky Pipe

Iron Fortress - Arcade (December 1997)


Iron Fortress

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Iron Fortress

Puzzle King: Dance & Puzzle (퍼즐킹) - Arcade (1998)


Puzzle King: Dance & Puzzle

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Puzzle King: Dance & Puzzle

Hidden Catch (히든캐치) / 틀린그림찾기 (Teullin Geurim Chatgi) series - Arcade (1998 - 2009)


Hidden Catch

Hidden Catch 2

Hidden Catch 3

Hidden Catch Movie

Hidden Catch 5


Hidden Catch 3 Cabinet


Hidden Catch 5 Cabinet

Hidden Catch (June 1998)
New Hidden Catch (March 1999)
Hidden Catch 2 (July 1999)
Hidden Catch 3 (December 2000)
Hidden Catch 2000 (2000)
Hidden Catch 3 Plus (2001)
Hidden Catch Movie (2003)
Hidden Catch 4 (2007) [F2 System]
Hidden Catch 5 (2010) [Neolith/NiceN2]



Hidden Catch

Hidden Catch 2

Hidden Catch 3

Hidden Catch Movie

Hidden Catch 5

미스땅짜르기 (Miss Ttang Jjareugi) / Land Breaker - Arcade (2000)


Land Breaker

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Land Breaker

댄스머신18 (Dance Machine 18) - Arcade (March 6th, 2000)


Cabinet

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.


Fortress 2 Blue (포트리스2블루) - Arcade (September 2001)


Fortress 2 Blue

Fortress 2 Blue

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Fortress 2 Blue

Fortress 2 Blue

Crazy War (크레이지워) - Arcade (2002)


Crazy War

Crazy War


Poster

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Crazy War

Crazy War

Burning Striker (버닝스트라이커) - Arcade (2003)


Burning Striker


Poster

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Burning Striker

BnB Arcade (비엔비아케이드) - Arcade (May 2003)


BnB Arcade

BnB Arcade

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



BnB Arcade

BnB Arcade

Mobile Games (2000-2007)


Gateun Geurim Chatgi

Meoseum Mandeulgi

Street Fighter III

Shooting Soccer 2002

Yageun Saweon Pak Daeri

2003 Ponpoko

Bunny Girl Matgo

Bunny Girl Matgo

Double Dragon

Fishing Master

Guardian Storm

Junggi Gapbobyeong K

Linkle Harmony

Mr. Driller

Pinball Dragoon

Puzzle Bobble

Teullin Geurim Chatgi

Teullin Geurim Chatgi

Puznic

Janggi Alkkagi

Myeongpum Matgo

Ikkeul Mikkeul Kung


Heroes poster

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.


Deep Labyrinth

Fist Groove

Galaga

Hwanggeum-ui Daeryuk


Jeoncharo Go! 3D



Safari Hunter

Touch Me

Worms

Moon Patrol

Tajja Gostop

Tajja Poker

Bubble Bobble

Chainshot

Bubble Bobble 2

Champion Boxing

King of Fighters Part 1

King of Fighters Part 2

Narsillion

New Rally X

Samurai Shodown Part 1

Rally X

Donggeupsaeng Part-1

Donggeupsaeng Part-1

Pac-Man

Pang Panic

Heroes: Pride of Hero

Heroes: Pride of Hero

플라잉벅스 (Flying Bugs) - Windows (August 18th, 2002)


Flying Bugs

Flying Bugs


Poster

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Flying Bugs

Flying Bugs

퍼즐버블 (Puzzle Bobble) - Windows (March 27th, 2004)


Puzzle Bobble (Online)

There is no description for this game yet. If you happen to own/have played it and want to contribute, please get in touch on the forums.



Puzzle Bobble (Online)

References
1. Amuse World 11/1997, page 30
2. http://web.archive.org/web/20011108023005/http://www.eolith.co.kr/e_com_3.html
3. http://web.archive.org/web/20031212115424/http://www.eolith.co.kr/english/company_overview.html
4. http://web.archive.org/web/20040623073621/http://www.m-dream.com/kr_mdream/mdream/history/history_f.html
5. http://news.inews24.com/php/news_view.php?g_menu=021200&g_serial=105109
6. http://www.dt.co.kr/contents.html?article_no=2004060402011768700002
7. http://economy.hankooki.com/lpage/stock/200503/e2005031718190647830.htm
8. http://www.neurotech.co.kr
9. http://www.gameabout.com/news/view.ga?news_id=28012


A History of Korean Gaming

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Table of Contents

HG101 Index