First East Asian Board Game to Receive Honor
Over 100,000 Units Sold, Exported to Europe and Beyond
CEO Lee Geunjeong: "Stable Development Thanks to KOCCA Support"
The Korea Creative Content Agency announced on the 23rd that the board game 'Okidoki Expedition (Magic Keys),' produced through the New Growth Game Content Support Project, won the Children's Game category at the Spiel des Jahres held in Berlin, Germany on the 21st.
The Spiel des Jahres is an event so influential that it is often called the "Oscars of board games." Even being nominated significantly boosts sales, reflecting its prestige. The agency stated, "It is the first time that a board game from Korea, as well as East Asia, has won this honor in Germany, the powerhouse of board games," and added, "This has rewritten the history of the Korean board game industry."
'Okidoki Expedition' is a children's board game about exploring the Forest of Magic Keys to restore the memory of a king under a spell. It incorporates educational elements that naturally teach mathematics along with various play features. Released in 2022, it has been exported to China, Southeast Asia, Europe, and other regions, selling over 100,000 copies.
The production was supported by the Korea Creative Content Agency's New Growth Game Content Support program, which backs the global expansion of domestic board games. The program promotes production support, creation of new markets, hosting board game conventions, and autonomous selection support for overseas game markets.
Lee Geun-jeong, CEO of Happy Baobab, said, "Thanks to the support from the agency, we were able to proceed with stable development and improve the quality of the game," and added, "I hope the project expands so that second and third 'Okidoki Expedition' titles can be produced."
Cho Hyun-rae, president of the Korea Creative Content Agency, responded, "I hope this award leads to greater global recognition of K-board games," and said, "We will continue to spare no support to foster various new growth game content industries, including board games."
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