You might have heard of 'E-sport'. ‘E’ is a simpler form of electronic. In other words, 'Electronic sports', means sports using a computer, not our body. It is strange for us to do sports using a computer. But this 'E-sport' word had spread over our life with 'Ssamjang', which is a nickname of 'Starcraft pro-gamer' as the game industry has developed.
 
Let's look around how deep the game has taken nowadays.
It was 7 years ago when 'Starcraft' first went on sale. However, it is not hard to find people who play '' in Pc-rooms, even if it is an old game. Also, there is no doubt that its popularity is going on and it still maintains the top place in E-sport. We can say that  Starcraft made 'E-sport'.
'Ragnarok' is one of the game-development industries which is popular worldwide. Many people in China and Taiwan play it. Also 'Ragnarok' match - everybody who plays it in the world can join in - is being played in our home. Last year, in Coex, there was the first Ragnrok-World Championship and 180 players in 11 countries who were chosen from the preliminary matches for 2 months. Up to now, 'Ragnarok' is being loved by about 30 million players through 20 countries and developed as the international game.

Nowadays, there are 1 million users who play 'Kartrider' in our country. It shows that 'Kartrider' has enough popularity. Various people, not only children and, men but also adults and women enjoy it at home or in pc-rooms.
 
Game broadcasting stations that broadcast these game tournaments on-air deliver us a very realistic game just as good as other sports games.
 
So, ‘game’ is no more one that people must enjoy above in a dark room, it surely closed to us with mass sports. For example, there are already 2 channels that treat only 'game' programs on TV. It is really not easy to have more than 2 channels with one subject. Also, when you find the people who soak in and cheer for it, you will be able to realize the high popularity of game industry and E-sports.

CAH asked Jung Young-hun (Shin-Ra University, Computer technology. 01), who is a high level gamer of Ragnarok, about the gaming industry of these day.
 
I earned about 1,000,000 won from Ragnarok. I think that game is not just a simple game in an amusement hall. I think that there needs to be divisions among games. Even if we play a game, we must play the game that can help our life as not only just entertainment but also as material. Because of the benefits that you can enjoy and make money from, many people have became interested in game. That is like killing two birds with one stone.

CAH asked Im Jea-guen (Chung-Ang University, machine technology. 04), his thought about pro-gamers and their annual salary.
 
Adults are apt to regard games as a waste of time, because they had experienced and used it. However, I think that the place as pro-gamer is a fruit-bearing position they got from their passion and efforts, like other people. Making money by playing in the ground, studying, drawing a picture and playing a game, all require a lot of efforts and deserve the same value. I have an optimistic thinking that a game is a kind of healthy sports culture and has a high development possibility.

Then, what must we do about this general trend? We don't have to look at games just as pleasure as the gaming industry became popular among us.

A pro-gamer (ID :SSAMJANG) brought the new idea that you can succeed if you are good at just one thing. However, this approach disappeared in a short time after the Education ministry's policy changes. Now our society requires more high level ability from early abroad education and elite education, so if we want to succeed, a TOEIC score of 900 came to be a basic condition for you to be qualified. Nevertheless, it is hard to get a job because there are so many people who have the basic condition thanks to their efforts. We are acieving the basic condition thanks to their devoting our time, money and effort. Then, just another competition and ability is required from us.
However, did you know that Lee Youn-yeur’s annual salary is over 200,000,000 won? Have you ever thought of how long it will take you to buy an apartment from a company salary? Do you know how many people make for a living from gaming? Do you realize how many enjoy games near by us? Now, it is time to be crazy about only one (we can read it in Lim Yo-han's life story; 'Crazy Like Me’). I think that  considering this recent trend, E-sports may be a pleasure leading to a shorter way to success.

By Jung ji-hye
Culture reporter


 

 

 

 

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