Gaming TV In South Korea

Yesterday we discussed how maybe, someday, competitive gaming will have a place in the states. Today GameSetWatch points out a Gamespot article from last week showing us that (as with many things game-related) the South Koreans have already beaten us to the punch when it comes to gaming TV. From the article: "Two cable TV networks, known as Ongamenet and MBCgame, compete for viewers with their own 24-hour programming dedicated to PC and console gaming. Fierce gaming competitions are held, backed by major corporate sponsors, and studios overflow with live audiences trying to catch a glimpse at players who are practically given celebrity status. The programming is an odd mix of competition coverage, game news, and school-girl-cute window dressing. Curious to know what's on tonight in Seoul? GameSpot News takes you on a trip East, clicker in hand. "

Comments

Re:Koreans started doing this YEARS ago.

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd like to add that while StarCraft is still popular in South Korea, there are more WarCraft III tournements (thus professional players) going on. When I was in Seoul last April, I watched some reruns of StarCraft and WarCraft tournements on those 42" plasma TVs around 5am while waiting for the first bus to arrive at the airport. My travel companion, a vivid StarCraft/WarCraft fan, was overjoy.

Other random facts of gaming in South Korea:

• Most (all?) professional gamers are in clans sponsored by companies like Intel and AMD.
• There were StarCraft-branded soft drinks and snacks back when it was the game.
• The players have to wear Star Trek-like sci-fi costumes while gaming.
• Koreans generally prefer RTS and RPG over FPS; the game channels never showed a single game of CounterStrike whenever I watched.