A History of Korean Gaming

Edutainment Titles - IBM PC, Windows (1994-1996)

One of the first projects Taff was involved in was an English learning program for kids, called Tamheom! Yeongeo Nara (탐험!영어나라)6, released in late 1994. This was followed up in 1996 by another edutainment product that taught Korean letters, Wah~ Han'geul-i Boinda (와~한글이보인다).

K1탱크 (K-1 Tank) - IBM PC (November 1994)

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Taff System's "proper" debut was the tank battle simulation that possibly opened the company the doors to get a contract for professional military simulation software.

낚시광 (Nakksigwang) Series - IBM PC (1994-1996)

Nakksigwang Cover

Nakksigwang 2 Cover

Nakksigwang Special Cover

The adaption of Korea's (then) men's hobby no. 1 solely made Taff System one of the most well known names among gamers during the mid-90s. This was before the time of engaging 3D simulations and realtime weather effects, so the actual process is about as laid-back as real fishing. Nakksigwang's strength therefore lies in the preparations leading to the main event, where up to the thickness of the hook used every little detail is up to the discretion of the player.

The game was such a big success that its title almost became synonymous with "angling simulation" for a time. Taff delivered two sequels in 1996, first Nakksigwang 2 and later Nakksigwang Special; the latter was the company's first CD-ROM title with an extended database of fish and angling spots in Korea in high resolution (whereas the game itself uses the same graphics as its predecessor). A more modern series focused on open sea fishing called Daemul Nakksigwang followed later (see below).

못말리는탈옥범 (Monmallineun Tarokbeom) - IBM PC (February 1996)

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It's prison break time! Monmallineun Tarokbeom combines two genres one wouldn't think they fit together that well. And they don't, at least not in this package. The road to freedom is taken in "adventure mode", which is largely inspired by Prince of Persia. Here the convict protagonist has to avoid guards and searchlights while taking care not to drop to his death in the architecturally worst prison ever.

At certain points the game switches into "action mode", a fighting game that looks very nice (behold the Street Fighter II parody below) but controls atrociously. The two sections feel very disconnected, so much that the publisher of later, shady re-releases decided to sell the game divided into its parts.

Monmallineun Tarokbeom (IBM PC)

싸이클포스 (Cycle Force) - IBM PC (April 1996)

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For decades, Korea and Japan have disputed each other's sovereignty over a group of islets, the Liancourt Rocks7. In Cycle Force, that dispute has escalated into a full-on naval war between the two countries. Japan sends a whole fleet of aircraft carriers and other war machinery, Korea sends — a flying bycicle.

The game looks similar to After Burner and other such sprite-based pseudo 3D arcade shooters by Sega.

大物낚시광 (대물 낚시광, Daemul Nakksigwang) / Angling the Giant / Virtual Deep Sea Fishing Series - Windows, Mobile (1998-2010)

The full 3D reboot of Taff's fishing simulation series takes players to the great sea. Instead of ordinary trouts and basses the main targets here are much bigger fish, up to enormous tuna and even white sharks, so the alternative English title Angling the Giant isn't an exaggeration at all. When Interplay released the game in the US, however, they chose the more eloquent—but also more boring— title Virtual Deep Sea Fishing.

The game was followed with two sequels in May 2000 (Ready to Fish: Angling the Giant 2) and February 2002, the latter of which unfortunately didn't make it stateside, anymore.

붕가붕가 (Boong-Ga Boong-Ga) / Spank 'em! - Arcade (June 2000)

Flyer

In the early 2000s, Boong-Ga Boong-Ga made rounds through the news as "that crazy Japanese butt slapping game". Actually, it was a crazy Korean game, but also popular in Japan thanks to the shared cultural heritage of the ddongchim ("shit strike"), how it is called in Korea, where children stretch out both hands' index fingers as if to fake holding a gun, and then proceed to assault someone's anus.

In the game, the victim for the attack is to be chosen from eight targets, who are meant to symbolize people "that make your life miserable". The list goes: Ex-girlfriend, ex-boyfriend, gangster, mother-in-law, gold digger, prostitute, child molester and con-artist (quite curious that "your boss" is not on the list) and whose suffering faces are then shown omn screen. It is technically a prize game, and it spits out cards that "explain your sexual behaviour." In English the game was advertised as Spank 'em!, but the fake index finger "controller" that belongs to the cabinet betrays the game's true intentions.

검정 고무신 (Geomjeong Gomusin) - Windows (April 26, 2002)

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Based on a popular manhwa and animated TV show, in Geomjeong Gomusin two brothers Giyeong and Gicheol have been [treiben] to an uninhabited island while playing with their boat. Now they have to dodge the local apes' attacks and find a way back home.

The promotional description for the game promised a game for small kids and parents alike, with stages in different genres like puzzle, action or rhythm game.

미니비 (MiniB) - Windows (December 12, 2002)

MiniB is a licensed title as well, this time the original was a series of funny flash animations. The PC game is all but forgotten now, a single known screenshots suggest that it was a sidescrolling brawler. A mobile game based on the license was also made, but that was unrelated to Taff's game.

딩아~곤충나라대모험~ (Dinga: Gonchung Nara Daemoheom) - Windows (2002)

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An edutainment title published by X-Infra, in based off a series of CGI web shorts called Geeureun Goyangi Dinga (게으른 고양이 딩가; "Lazy Cat Dinga"). There are no known in-game screenshots, but the instructions screen suggests the game is a platformer.

요구르팅 (Yogurting) - Windows (May 10, 2005)

Poster

Originally announced as Lussiard by Taff in 2003, the long development cycle caused the casual MMORPG much trouble, but it was finally opened for a public beta in November 2005 through NeoWiz, now bearing the silly title Yogurting. The game featured many RPG-atypical events and an episodic "school year" structure.

In September 2006, there was also a mobile adaption released, developed by a company called Gretech8. The original online game was shut down on February 27th, 2007 despite being quite popular.

A.V.A. (아바): Alliance of Valiant Arms - Windows (October 23, 2007)

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Red Duck's most popular game and the only one still running, the team FPS A.V.A. was first made public in an open beta in summer 2007.

The game that is also available in Japan and the US features a plethora of differnt play modes that go well beyond the standard Counterstrike model, from escort and convoy missions through escape and rescue up to mindless free-for-all games.

A.V.A. was awarded at the Korean Game of the Year Awards (Daehanminguk Game Daesang) 2007 in the categories best game, best graphics and best character design9.

공박 (Gong Bak) - Windows (November 30, 2007)

An over-the-top online volleyball game. Shut down on April 10, 2009.

찹스 (Chaps) - Windows (February 20, 2008)

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A cutesy online 3rd-person shooter. Shut down on April 29, 2009.