泥中蟠龍's Game愛歌 [A love song for games of the dragon waiting for an opportunity] Video game and the separation of banking and commerce

泥中蟠龍's Game愛歌

[A love song for games of the dragon waiting for an opportunity]

Video game and the separation of banking and commerce

September. 12. 2018.

Recently, I read an article on the subject of ease regulations on the separation of banking and commerce and video game by Kim Sang-Hyun, an executive editor in our paper. In the article, he was full of hope for positive effects: game developers such as Netmarble and Nexon run an online bank—internet-only bank, which can boost the local gaming industry thanks to ample capital and financing. I also completely agree with him about the aggressive investment in domestic games. But I do oppose to ease banking-commerce separation per se so that I'd like to deal with it this week's column.

 What does the term mean? It means that industrial capital should be separated from banking capital; banks are not allowed to affiliate with other businesses. Separation of industrial and financial capital is analogous to the principle. It means that industrial capital should be separated from financial capital; businesses are restricted from owning not a bank alone, but an insurance company or securities, etc. The word "regulation" generally implies quite a negative connotation such as "control" or "oppression". And most regulations are accompanied by criticism and opposition due to their ineffectiveness and inconveniences. It is hard to deny regulations are ineffective and inconvenient. So, why are the regulations made?

 Regulations are commonly used as a way to diminish the risk. The key lies in how to maintain their low-risk efficiency. If we can go across the road wherever we want, it would be very convenient and efficient. But jaywalking is regulated by law. Because it's too dangerous.

 While industry fields related to FinTech are globally in the limelight in recent years, we have often heard that restrictions on the separation of banking and commerce retards the development of financial technology-connected sectors only in South Korea. I partly admit it. However, I don't think that the growth of fintech-linked industries is positively necessary as much as we take risks to ease regulations on the separation of banking and commerce. I'd rather say that we need the separation of industrial and financial capital. About a 0.01 percent chance of accidents can be 100 percent if I, unfortunately, have an accident. There was a smaller savings bank-related financial crime in 2011. The amount of damage by the authorities was estimated at almost 7 trillion won. We hardly imagine how much damage a large bank will get by a financial irregularity. It's easy to lift restrictions but reregulation is harder than creating new regulations.

 Many CEOs of smaller video game companies say that it's difficult to let their employees follow workplace rules. They add that there are lots of backlash against new administrative rules. And the workers get used to the rules and the controversy is abated somewhat over time. However, chief executives would be the face of stronger resistance by the staff when they try to bring an abolished policy back. This seems to be the case for the separation of banking and commerce. It wouldn't be easier to strengthen the regulation again once the government moved toward deregulation for one reason or another. We deposit money with a bank because we believe that it is safe. Someone, who prefer the high-risk high return, may choose to invest in stocks, futures, or option, etc. Another would go to casinos for higher risks higher returns. A representative, who completely ruined a game project where many people got involved in due to a small number of troubled employees, would heartily agree with what I say. Screw up and one's way home is long and dark.

 

※ This is from Kyunghyang Games column by 泥中蟠龍 since September 2013.

   (http://www.khgames.co.kr)

   Translation by Kim Ki-hui

泥中蟠龍's Game愛歌 [A love song for games of the dragon waiting for an opportunity] Thirteen-year-old Infinite Challenge

泥中蟠龍's Game愛歌

[A love song for games of the dragon waiting for an opportunity]

Thirteen-year-old Infinite Challenge

May. 31. 2018.

Infinite Challenge—MBC's reality TV show—, which had gained popularity for the last thirteen years, recently went off the air. It is probably the longest entertainment program in South Korea. The show had included my 30s since it was started when I was twenty-nine years old. It is very difficult to steadily create content for long periods. It could be a really hard challenge for Muhan Dojeon which didn't follow any specific format. Most real-variety shows have an overall concept, for instance, cast members take various trips throughout South Korea during 1 night 2 days performing missions at a certain mealtime or live in a little rural or finishing village creating three meals a day and calm themselves. With a definite format, it's relatively easier to generate content. Of course, during the airing of the episodes, the non-dram program made lots of controversial issues. It was criticized for problematic content and a few cast members left the program due to unfavorable incidents. A barely-chosen new member had to unexpectedly join the military. Also, it found itself caught in a plagiarism scandal. Nevertheless, it's still quite something to keep airing the show for thirteen years.

 I've written this column for five years. Sometimes I racked my brain trying to find a new story or new subject and raced against the clock to make the deadline during a busy day. But I cannot but highly praise myself on my five-year constant work. There were many issues back then in the beginning period when I started to write; releasing a game on KakaoGames was a hot topic and a journalist wrote an article about a splendid-graphics game based on Unreal Engine. During this period, I switched my job, got a promotion, got married, and started to give a lecture on game design. Five years is not short.

 There are many newly-released games in the domestic market of late. Some of them are homegrown video games and the others are imported ones. Looking at top game charts, I can find a considerable number of long-time-loved games more than I thought. League of Legends, MapleStory, Sudden Attack, World of Warcraft (WoW), Everybody's Marble, Clash of Clans, and Sumonnor's war: Sky Arena, etc. have been stayed on top charts for a long time. Some of them are older than Infinite Challenge and most of them are as old as my column at least.

 Old-time-favorite content means that it has improved quality and has offered a variety of interesting attractions since the launch. Most game developers, that try to put perfection in the content toward the goal of launching, often poorly prepared to keep maintaining game quality after its release. I expect many Muhan Dojeon-like long-lasting games that are well prepared to be loved by gamers will be released.

 

※ This is from Kyunghyang Games column by 泥中蟠龍 since September 2013.

   (http://www.khgames.co.kr)

   Translation by Kim Ki-hui

泥中蟠龍's Game愛歌 [A love song for games of the dragon waiting for an opportunity] April 2018 inter-Korean summit and mother's apology

泥中蟠龍's Game愛歌

[A love song for games of the dragon waiting for an opportunity]

April 2018 inter-Korean summit and mother's apology

May. 17. 2018.

There was a historical inter-Korean summit in April this year. The summit meeting certainly has various meanings for both within and without the country, however, I'd like to talk about Kim Jong-un, supreme leader of North Korea, who is receiving positive reviews from the general public. Negative public perception of Kim had been high in the past until the summit talks. But the talk led the public to shift to more positive perceptions. You can easily find a sense of numbers in many related articles.

 Not long ago, I went back to elementary school days while talking to my mother. One of the many topics mentioned was why she forced me to stop playing games. I told her that I could have been more successful unless she forbade me to the arcade because I am the person in the gaming world at present. I expected her to answer that she regarded video games as a stumbling-block to scholastic achievement. Contrary to my expectation, she said " I'm sorry." Summing up, she explained that the young mother, who knew little about the game due to lack of experience, just relied on a parent's notice with negative opinions about the game. And she humbly apologized for her mistake reflecting on what she hadn't a good grasp of for wise advice for the child.

 Most people, who are involving in the development of a video game, are indulgent to their children playing games. Because they are well up in the games. On the other hand, a few set their face against the idea for the same reason. Both of them properly account for what the game is anyway. In any relationship including the parent-child relationship, it's really important to know much about a subject. Persuasion without setting clear criteria is fruitless because the other party notices it. Parents whose word is smooth-tongued but untrustworthy don't have authority over their boys and girls. Many fathers and mothers around me aren't knowledgeable about the video game. One of the most frequently asked questions from them is how to reduce the time of playing a game. I usually ask back why youngsters should spend less time enjoying gaming except that it takes time from their studies. And I add if they ever tried playing games. I advise parents to state their opinion on playing games when they are ready to support their argument with logical explanations. If a reckless father or mother just asks me the fastest way to stop a teenager from keep enjoying a video game, I answer that the video game addict—if the child is diagnosed with game addiction—can be treated at a gaming rehab center. And I respond to the angry mom or dad that I have no choice but to give an irresponsible answer for the very irresponsible parent.

There are many people with a negative perception of gaming. But, I think, most parents don't want to learn about it. Which is a tragedy because I am a video-game lover working in an industry associated with the video game. I expect people to have positive recognition of gaming content as if they have changed their perceptions of the North Korean leader.

※ This is from Kyunghyang Games column by 泥中蟠龍 since September 2013.

   (http://www.khgames.co.kr)

   Translation by Kim Ki-hui