Changed to 'Gwangdae' and called "misogynistic"... Guardian Tales faces 'femi-hunting' controversy

"From 'Wretched X' to 'Clown' Correction Sparks Criticism
'Misogyny Still Prevails in the Gaming Industry'
Expert Says 'Sexist Elements in Content Must Be Eliminated'"

Kakao Games' new game "Guardian Tales" recently faced controversy over the in-game line "이 걸레 X이," which was then revised to "망할 광대 같은 게." / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporter Kang Joo-hee] Kakao Games' new game "Guardian Tales" has sparked controversy after modifying a misogynistic expression in the game, facing backlash such as rating attacks from male gamers, and then re-modifying it with another misogynistic expression. Some have pointed out that such disputes frequently occur as part of a movement excluding women within the male-dominated gaming industry.

Experts emphasized the need to continuously change sexist elements within the gaming industry and game content.

On the 30th of last month, "Guardian Tales" released a new event stage titled "Knight Goes to School." However, controversy arose when a line in the game, "like a rag X," was pointed out to contain misogynistic meaning.

Some gamers criticized this phrase as misogynistic and inappropriate given the game is rated for users aged 12 and above. In response, Kakao Games changed the phrase to "like a clown."

However, some male gamers claimed that the term "clown" was a misandrist expression and raised objections to the revised phrase. They argued that the word "clown" is used as a misandrist term among radical feminists and protested, questioning whether there were radical feminists within Kakao Games.

The gamers then launched a "rating attack" on the Google Play Store, posting reviews such as "The game is really good, but the management is the worst," "I’m disappointed that they quickly changed it because of one post by a feminist," and "This is a feminist-tainted game," leading to a boycott movement.

Members of civic groups, including the Korean Women Workers Association, urged the implementation of the National Human Rights Commission's decision on ideological screening in the gaming industry, emphasizing the need for measures to eradicate misogyny and discriminatory practices, in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the morning of the 14th of last month. Photo by Yonhap News

Some have pointed out that such disputes are frequent instances of misogyny within the gaming industry.

In an online community, user A said, "'rag X' is clearly a problematic expression to anyone, so is it normal to call it a feminist game or claim there are extreme feminists inside just because it was changed?" He added, "There is still an ongoing movement within the gaming industry to exclude and hate women under the guise of feminism."

Previously, female employees in the gaming industry were driven out of their workplaces for supporting feminism. In 2016, game voice actress Kim Ja-yeon was replaced because she posted a photo wearing a T-shirt supporting the women's community "Megalia."

Additionally, female workers in the gaming industry have lost jobs for liking feminist-related posts or participating in feminist hashtag campaigns.

According to a survey released by the National Women’s Labor Union on the 18th of last month, at least 14 female workers who voiced support for women's rights while participating in game development have faced unfair treatment in the past five years.

The problem is that despite the ongoing misogynistic movements within the gaming industry, game companies have no choice but to comply with the demands or backlash of some gamers due to threats of boycotts and refusal to purchase.

Following the rating attacks and boycotts, Kakao Games re-modified the phrase "like a clown" to "this bad X." Although the word "rag" was removed, the phrase can still be seen as misogynistic.

Kakao Games' new release 'Guardian Tales' / Photo by Kakao Games

On the 5th, Kakao Games stated in a notice, "We decided to change the phrase within the scope that fits the original story's intent and does not contain profanity or socially problematic content." Regarding the change from "rag X" to "clown," they explained, "It was a mistake made in haste to choose a safe word to avoid unnecessary controversy."

They added, "There are no employees affiliated with or biased toward any particular group," and "The current staff was replaced with new personnel as it was judged difficult to restore trust."

Experts emphasized the need to continuously change sexist elements within the gaming industry.

Cultural critic Jung Deok-hyun said, "As interest in human rights and women's issues grows recently, such criticisms and debates are emerging. Problems that were not pointed out before are now becoming subjects of debate, which may cause some backlash," adding, "However, if there are sexist elements, they should be avoided and changed."

He continued, "Although men use games more, games are enjoyed by people of all ages and genders, so the gaming industry needs to self-regulate to prevent sexist expressions within such content."

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea (NHRCK) expressed the opinion that misogyny and discriminatory practices in the gaming industry must be improved.

In a press release on the 8th, the NHRCK stated, "If consumer demands contradict fundamental values such as human rights and justice, responsible companies should ignore those demands or persuade and sanction consumers," and added, "They must actively prevent misogynistic and discriminatory language and behavior by game users and stop imposing disadvantages such as contract termination on female workers."

They also urged the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency to conduct related surveys and prepare measures to eradicate misogyny and discriminatory practices.