Help with search for work in Korea

sugunwar · Mar 2016

Hello, guys.

I try to find a job in gamedev in Korea as 3d artist, but actually it's harder that I guess.
I read a lot here on polycount, that in Korea many gamedev companies but I cant find anyone except NCSOFT, and 1-2 little mobile developers.

Maybe someone live now in Korea and work in gamedev industry, who can give my consultation about situation.

Shrike · Mar 2016

there are many FPS games in Korea and you can easily find them and those companies. Also Nexon
Just search for Korean games on google and there should be tons of companies.

sugunwar · Mar 2016

Thank you man.
Indeed, I google it as much as possible. But I get tons of rewies where said "In Korea, biggest game industry" or TOP 10 games in Korea and etc.

For example, Black Desert - MMORPG made in Korea, but you can't find it by any tags like Korea + Gamedev + Company or others...

It's basically why I started this topic.

Kwramm · Mar 2016

big game industry doesn't equal big game job market. The industry is big because there are many players, because MMO type games where you have to pay to play are popular and because of the whole e-sports sector.

JacqueChoi · Mar 2016

The Artists I know in korea put most of the world to shame. Like they're ridiculously good (as is the art in their games).
I'd imagine its a world harder to break into the Korean Game Art industry than it is here.

Can you post your folio?

The ones off the top of my head:

NCSoft
Webzen
Gravity
Softnyx
WeMade
Gamevil
HanbitSoft
Nexon

Joopson · Mar 2016

4:33 Creative Lab is a korean company. Not sure if they're hiring right now though!

swann · Mar 2016

First question should be, which Korea?

Finalhart · Mar 2016

Yea koreans are waaay to good, check out CGNI school, student work is amazing and teachers work is just mind blowing.

Kwramm · Mar 2016

nodeway said:

First question should be, which Korea?

hehe. But actually there is one animation studio for 2D in the North, which made art for Disney. There is also a mobile games studio there run by a German dude. There may be more. Guy Delisle describes in his highly enjoyable comic "Pyongyang" how he worked with North Korean artists.

thomasp · Mar 2016

Kwramm said:

Guy Delisle describes in his highly enjoyable comic "Pyongyang" how he worked with North Korean artists.

haha, check this out - https://www.drawnandquarterly.com/sites/default/files/docs/samples/Pyongyang.interior_preview.pdf
page 5!

MagicSugar · Mar 2016

JacqueChoi said:

The Artists I know in korea put most of the world to shame. Like they're ridiculously good (as is the art in their games).

LOL

Aren't we a little biased here Mr. CHOI

I'm not disagreeing but I think it's fair to say they owe a lot to JPRG and Western RPG devs for laying the groundwork for their MMOs in terms of look, lore (example, class system), and gameplay mechanics. How many outside of Asia can identify (and more importantly have played) SoKor games other than Blade and Soul, Black Desert? How many game artist can they name other than Hyung Tae Kim?

But more power to our Korean bretheren!

Personally, I'd like to see Korean devs take on a shooter game. Socom 4 had elite Korean "white tiger" units as characters. Maybe they don't have to feature their culture or identity but do something like MGS but from their unique perspective and of course art style. Hopefully have Kim Jung Gi as lead concept artist. I believe he had commando experience.

MrHobo · Apr 2016

MagicSugar said:

I'm not disagreeing but I think it's fair to say they owe a lot to JPRG and Western RPG devs for laying the groundwork for their MMOs in terms of look, lore (example, class system), and gameplay mechanics.

They also owe a fair amount (maybe more) to The Kingdom of the Winds and a shit-tonne to Lineage considering thats the primary catalyst for the Korean games industries growth from the late 90's onward.
Granted I'd assume everybody in Asia owes respect to The Black Onyx at the end of the day when it comes to RPGs.

JacqueChoi · Apr 2016

I just remember the first year we invited the koreans to participate in Dominance War, they ended up getting something like 8 of the top 10 Concept Art placements.
http://www.gameartisans.org/dominancewar/3/index.php

How many outside of Asia can identify (and more importantly have played) SoKor games other than Blade and Soul, Black Desert? How many game artist can they name other than Hyung Tae Kim?

;P
Here goes:

Lineage I, II, Eternal
Raganarok Online
Aion
Maple Story I & II
Tera
Gunbound (<<<---THIS IS CRAZY FUN)
Magna Carta
PangYa
Soul of the Ultimate Nation

The ones I know just for their art:
Dragon Saga (Dragonica in Korea)
Knight
Rohan
Granata Espada
Archeage
Icarus
EZ

If you can't name a single artist outside of Hyung Tae Kim, you probably don't remember the website CGhub.

Dean Holdeen (My favourite Aritst on the planet)
http://drawcrowd.com/holdeen

Jiyun Chae (Hyung Tae Kims wife)
https://www.artstation.com/artist/kkuem

Maggi From Granada Esperada
http://oomaggioo.co.kr/

An Jung Sik
http://ziro.egloos.com/

Jeong Juno (Lineage 2)
https://www.tumblr.com/search/jeong juno

Tae Won Jun
http://kotaku.com/5904524/more-killer-concept-art-from-korea/

Kang Jin
http://kotaku.com/5903644/beautiful-video-game-art-direct-from-korea/
http://www.kang-jin.com/xe/home

Jae Cheol Park (Paper Blue)
http://www.iamag.co/features/the-art-of-jae-cheol-park/

Young Sang Kim (Aion)
http://kalbasnik.io.ua/album3531

I Totally forgot the name for the Dragonica Concept Artist:
https://www.pinterest.com/akubyou/concept-art-dragonica/
Queens Blade artist was always top row on CGHub:

Anyways, you'll see TONS of 3D fan-art made of these drawings.

Jonas Ronnegard · Apr 2016

Yeah asian countries and 2D skill can be unbelievable, even my gf could probably work with it professionally if we lived in a western country.

worked with a lot of artists in Japan who's job was being an environment artists, but their 3d art was either bad or just no effort put into it but their 2D art was totally on a professional concept artist level, So when people ask me how to get a job in a western country I usually tell them to become a concept artist instead.

Recently I get offers from korean companies, so I think they have started to broaden out, mostly mobile freelance work though. But I hope you know Korean pretty well If you are thinking about working in house.

sugunwar · Oct 2016

Hello to all,

So Im in South Korea right now, try to find a job in gamedev, I'll very appreciate any help.

Here is my page on artstation
https://www.artstation.com/artist/sugun

Help with search for work in Korea

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