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Games and Culture
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Culture and Business of PC Bangs in Korea

Jun-Sok Huhh

Seoul National University

In this article, the culture and business of PC bangs in Korea are explored. Once just a convenient spot for high-speed connection, the PC bang has become a space for nurturing online gaming cultures. This article addresses two central characteristics of PC bang that have ensured its success. First, the paper explores the social and cultural dimensions of the PC bang as a space that nurtures the negotiation of offline and online relationships around online gaming cultures in Korea. Second, the paper discusses the role PC bangs play in the emergence of online games as a dominant game genre for Korean players. On the business side, a specialized pricing policy for PC bangs has made a vibrant business environment both for game publishers and PC bangs. Recent introduction of a micropayment business model, however, could be read as the demise of game publishers and PC bangs' synergies.

Key Words: PC bang • broadband Internet in Korea • Korean online games • StarCraft • Lineage

Games and Culture, Vol. 3, No. 1, 26-37 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1555412007309525
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