On the 11th, KRAFTON's 'PUBG Seongsu', which opens its doors, is a complex cultural space remodeled from a leather factory that used to supply military supplies. KRAFTON, which is preparing to transfer its headquarters to Seongsu-dong in Seoul, envisioned 'PUBG Seongsu' as a place where visitors can experience the world of the popular game intellectual property (IP) 'Battlegrounds' offline. KRAFTON said, "The goal is to make PUBG Seongsu 'the holy land of Battlegrounds.'"
Entering the entrance of 'PUBG Seongsu', located between Ttukseom Station and Seoul Forest Station, a wide yard was the first thing that caught my eye. The yard features curved inclined edges decorated with graffiti that can be used as a skateboard park. Jung Hyun-seob, the director of PUBG Seongsu who oversaw everything from the construction of 'PUBG Seongsu' to its official opening, explained the reason for creating the front yard as a 'skateboard park', noting, "After pondering what image could best symbolize the 10- to 20-something age group while capturing the underdog sentiment of the Battlegrounds IP, I chose skateboarding, which was adopted as an official Olympic event last year."
The 'PUBG Seongsu' space, located in the center of the yard, consists of a total of three floors. It includes Building A (experience and exhibition center), which houses an internet cafe, and Building B (rest and emotion center), which has a café and lounge. A KRAFTON official said, "It's a space that can accommodate between 400 and 1,000 people."
The 'Survivor Hall', located on the first floor of Building A, is the representative space of 'PUBG Seongsu', decorated with a giant airplane and parachutes from the Battlegrounds universe. This multipurpose content hall will host various exhibitions, performances, and community events. The 'Play Arena', which was visited next, is a Battlegrounds-specific internet café that creates an experience space replicating the battlefields from the actual game. Anyone can use it for a fee of 2,000 won per hour, with a total of 72 seats available. KRAFTON plans to operate small-scale esports tournaments in the 'Play Arena' in the future.
Director Jung noted, "Market research has shown that Seongsu-dong is an area without any internet cafés," and added, "We plan to operate as a Battlegrounds-specific internet café for three months and then decide whether to introduce other games based on the reactions." A company representative mentioned that visitors can enjoy Battlegrounds-related drinks and food while playing Battlegrounds at the 'Play Arena.'
The 'Root Store', an exclusive shop for Battlegrounds, sells various goods, lifestyle items, and skateboards.
The lounge located on the second floor of Building B is equipped with basic DJ equipment and plans to feature performances by invited DJs every weekend this month. KRAFTON also plans to exhibit various artworks that were showcased at G-Star from 2018 to 2019 in the lounge.
KRAFTON plans to develop 'PUBG Seongsu' into a gaming and cultural experience space that can be enjoyed by not only game fans but also local residents and the public. A company official explained, "We have planned various programs that go beyond simple experiences to expand the immersion and cultural impact of the IP through art, fashion, esports, and community."
As part of this initiative, KRAFTON plans to host regular fan meetings for Battlegrounds fans, game forums, streamer events, and amateur esports tournaments. Additionally, it intends to operate cultural and artistic social contribution programs such as DIY workshops, skateboarding classes, and DJ classes in collaboration with local businesses and artists in the Seongsu area.
In addition, the company stated that it will hold various pop-up events and regularly conduct brand collaboration exhibitions and limited edition merchandise releases. Currently, it is preparing events in collaboration with SIDIZ, a chair specialist brand, and Pulsar, a global gaming brand. A KRAFTON official mentioned, "Soon, we will present high-performance gaming gear reflecting the PUBG IP with unique designs and capabilities."
Released in 2017, Battlegrounds is KRAFTON's representative IP that has been a long-term hit for over eight years. Director Jung stated, "We plan to evolve into a living community platform where fans, the brand, and the city are connected, going beyond a simple game experience space, and experiment with the new value of game IP while allowing users to take the lead in creating culture."