StarCraft in South Korea

Damn, it feels good to be a gamer!

No other country matches South Korea for its passion for video games. One game in particular, StarCraft, is at the heart of this popular pastime. This is a collection of interesting facts about StarCraft, South Korea style. Every fact links to its source ([n]), and the index of facts and sources at the bottom lists them all.

The numbers

Copies sold worldwide, early 2008[2]

9.5 million
South Korea: 4.5 million
Rest of the world

Most-watched sports programs in Korea[1]

Soccer
57.3%
E-sports
33.1%

E-sports is the second most-watched sports programming, and StarCraft is its most popular game. Two television networks provide round-the-clock e-sports coverage.

StarCraft II prize money, 2010[6][7]

United States
over $5,000
South Korea
$500,000

An MLG open event in the United States offered over $5,000 in prizes, while the South Korean GSL planned about 600,000,000 won (around $500,000) in prizes for 2010: roughly 100 times as much.

The player base[1]

4+ million copies sold in South Korea 15+ million e-sports fans

The big time

Lim Yo-Hwan[3]

17 months at #1

Known as "BoxeR" and the Terran Emperor, he holds the record for the longest time ranked number 1 in KeSPA: 17 straight months. His annual earnings exceeded $300,000, plus endorsements.

Annual salary of pro gamers[1]

Average
about $20,000
Top players
$100,000+

The average is slightly above the average Korean's salary.

Age of professional gamers[1]

20.4 years on average
1530

Training

A pro gamer's heart can reach[1]

160 beats per minute

Equal to a pro basketball player, while both hands work at about 500 clicks per minute.

Registered with KeSPA[1]

430+ pro gamers in 23 official games

Military service[1]

Even the South Korean Air Force has its own pro gaming team.

Fan-atics

TV channels showing a StarCraft game, 2005[8]

1 to 4

One forum poster who lived in South Korea in 2005 recalled that at any time there were at least one to four channels playing a current or past StarCraft game.

SKY Pro League 2005 final, Busan[1][4]

120,000 fans on Gwangalli Beach

Roughly 50,000 more than attended the Super Bowl in 2009.

Camping out[4]

Fans such as a 17-year-old at the 2005 final arrived the day before and slept on the beach to get a front-row seat.

StarCraft II sales, July 2010[5]

First day
1 million copies
Two days
1.5 million copies

The best-selling PC game of 2010 in under 24 hours of availability.

Facts and sources

FactSource
9.5 million copies sold worldwide, 4.5 million in Korea (early 2008)[2]
E-sports is the second most-watched sports programming (33.1%)[1]
About $500,000 vs over $5,000 in StarCraft II prizes, 2010[6] [7]
4+ million copies sold in Korea, 15+ million e-sports fans[1]
First pro gaming league, 1998[2]
KeSPA established in 2000, monthly rankings[1]
Teams sponsored by Samsung, SK Telecom and KTF[1]
Lim Yo-Hwan: 17 months at #1, earnings over $300,000[3]
Average pro salary about $20,000, top players $100,000+[1]
Ages 15 to 30, average 20.4[1]
Heart rate of 160 bpm, about 500 clicks per minute[1]
430+ registered pro gamers in 23 games[1]
Air Force pro gaming team[1]
One to four TV channels showing StarCraft, 2005[8]
120,000 fans at the 2005 SKY Pro League final[1] [4]
Fans slept on the beach to get front-row seats[4]
StarCraft II sold 1 million copies on day one, 1.5 million in two days[5]
  1. StarCraft Training, PBS Frontline: Digital Nation
  2. Why is StarCraft Popular in Korea?, Ask a Korean!
  3. Highest Earning StarCraft 2 Pro Gamer, Lim "SlayerS_BoxeR" Yo-Hwan, Joins Team Razer, Razer press release
  4. StarCraft finals draw crowds to Busan beach, Korea JoongAng Daily, July 2005
  5. StarCraft II: biggest PC game launch of 2010, Blizzard Entertainment
  6. GomTV Global SC2 League Announced!, TeamLiquid
  7. StarCraft 2 Added to 2010 MLG Pro Circuit, TeamLiquid
  8. 300 actions a minute? Truly mastering StarCraft, Ars OpenForum, forum post