South Korean prime minister celebrates Crimson Desert: ‘K-games can shine as a pillar of K-content’

Crimson Desert is a big hit, but maybe you’re not sold. Maybe you need a little extra convincing that it’s really worth the hype. You don’t have to take it from us—though you certainly could by reading PC Gamer features producer Mollie Taylor’s review—you can instead take it from the highest authority on videogames there is. I’m, of course, talking about South Korea’s Prime Minister, Kim Min-seok.

As reported by IGN, Min-seok praised Crimson Desert recently on X, posting his thoughts after sharing that the game’s sales figures are historic for the nation. “We sincerely congratulate the achievement of Crimson Desert, which has elevated the status of the Korean game industry on the global stage,” he said (according to X’s machine translation.) “[It] achieved 5 million sales in the shortest time in Korean console game history, just 26 days after release.”

More than just sales figures, he gave credit to the game’s aesthetics and design for involving Korean cultural touchstones. “By naturally incorporating Korean elements like taekwondo and Korean cuisine, it has opened a new chapter in K-content. This accomplishment serves as a crucial turning point, demonstrating that the domestic game industry can expand and leap forward across diverse platforms, including consoles.”

He said the nation’s government will “take responsibility and provide active support,” asserting that “K-games can shine as a pillar of K-content.” It will be interesting to see if that means tangible, financial arts support from the government and not just an emphatic thumbs-up on X.

Either way, this level of recognition is an impressive feather in Pearl Abyss’s cap, and it’s further evidence that governments are eager to tout videogames for their cultural value as art and not just the speed with which they rake in cash.

We’ll see if Crimson Desert gets as many ceremonial kudos as Clair Obscur, which is still bringing home trophies a year after release. Until then, just keep slurpin’ down that digital fish porridge (if you aren’t sure how, we have a guide for that).