In Korean folklore, a grim reaper calls your name three times before taking you. In Seolhwa Dungeon, that’s not flavor text. It’s a game mechanic. Solo developer Sungki Soft has released Seolhwa Dungeon: Roguelike RPG, a turn-based roguelike built on Korean folktales, launching on Google Play on October 1 and on the App Store on October 4.
Seolhwa Dungeon follows traditional roguelike rules: die once and you start over, and the dungeon layout changes every new game. The goal is to descend through pixel-art silver mines, royal tombs, swamps, and the gumiho’s den to the final destination: the underworld.
From Silver Mine to Gumiho’s Den, and Down to the Underworld
There are four main dungeons to get through.
It begins in a silver mine haunted by dokkaebi fire, then moves through a royal tomb with open coffin lids, a fog-shrouded swamp, and finally the den of the gumiho, the nine-tailed fox. To descend to the underworld, players must find two orbs along the way. Beyond the main path, seven side dungeons, including Jirisan Mountain and the Dragon King’s palace, each carry their own stories.
Die, and the adventure ends there. But when you start again, the dungeon layout and encounters change. New characters, items, and events keep every run different, true to the roguelike spirit.
Say My Name Three Times: Folklore as Game Rules
What makes Seolhwa Dungeon stand out is how it uses Korean folklore. Rather than simply dropping folkloric beings in as enemies or characters, it turns each creature’s story into an actual game rule.
The grim reaper is the clearest example. While the player is within its line of sight, the reaper calls the player’s name once each turn. If it calls the name three times, the player dies. Meeting a reaper isn’t about trading damage; you have to break line of sight or resolve the situation fast.
The imugi, a serpent destined to become a dragon, is also faithful to its legend. If a fight drags on, it ascends into a dragon and floods the entire floor.
Players may also encounter a funeral procession in the dungeon. They can step aside and bow or block its path, and each choice leads to different consequences.
The god a player serves matters too. Players choose one of eight deities, including the mountain spirit Sanshin, the Dragon King, and Samshin Halmi, the goddess of childbirth, but each comes with taboos that must be respected.
Fourteen races and twelve classes can be combined. Yokai encountered during adventures are recorded in a bestiary that shows not only their in-game traits but also the original folktales they come from. According to the App Store listing, the game features 134 yokai.
A Traditional Roguelike, Playable With One Hand
The game is designed to make a complex traditional roguelike comfortable on a phone. It uses a vertical screen and can be played one-handed. No internet connection or account is required, so it works fully offline.
A single adventure takes about 40 minutes to two hours. Auto-explore and auto-battle reduce the grind of repeated exploration. Progression uses a card-selection system: at each level-up, players choose one card from several to strengthen their character, so the same class can develop differently every run.
The game is free-to-play. The only paid item is the “Complete Folktale Collection,” which unlocks certain races and classes, and ads appear only when players choose to revive. Korean and English are supported.
A Solo Developer Who Wanted Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup on His Phone
Seolhwa Dungeon was made solo by Bae Seong-gi of Sungki Soft.
It began with a love of traditional roguelikes. Bae says he wanted to be able to comfortably play something like Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup, a PC roguelike he enjoyed growing up, on a smartphone, so he decided to make one himself.
During development, he used AI to help with basic code scaffolding and design work.
Since launch, updates driven by player feedback have come quickly. The iOS version has moved from 1.0 on October 4 through 1.1, 1.1.1, 1.1.2, 1.2, and 2.0 to the current 2.1.
The 2.0 update redrew the graphics for races, classes, and roughly 200 yokai. Version 2.1 opened an official Discord channel for direct communication with players.
A 4.6 Rating and Fast Updates
It’s early, and ratings haven’t accumulated much yet, but the response is positive. At the time of writing, the App Store version holds 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings. Players praise the roguelike pull that keeps them coming back despite the tough difficulty, along with the distinctive use of Korean folklore.
The rapid post-launch updates and the developer’s responsiveness are also drawing praise.
Who This Is For
Strong fit for: traditional roguelike fans who’ve wanted a Dungeon Crawl-style game on mobile; anyone curious about Korean folklore and mythology; players who like mechanics that emerge from lore rather than stats alone; commuters who want offline, one-handed play; players who prefer fair free-to-play with a single unlock purchase and opt-in ads.
Cautious fit for: players who care about AI use in development, given the disclosure for code scaffolding and design; newcomers to permadeath, since runs end completely on death.
Less ideal for: those seeking real-time action or a narrative-driven experience.
The Takeaway
Seolhwa Dungeon does something genuinely clever with Korean folklore: it doesn’t just decorate a roguelike with familiar creatures; it lets their stories set the rules. A grim reaper that kills by calling your name, an imugi that floods the floor when it ascends, gods with taboos, and a funeral procession that demands a choice turn tradition into tactics. Built by one developer who simply wanted a classic roguelike in his pocket, and updated at a remarkable pace, it’s a strong showcase for Korean mythology in games.
Out now on Google Play and the App Store. Free-to-play.
Information regarding ‘Seolhwa Dungeon (Roguelike RPG)’
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Seonggi Soft (Solo developer, Bae Seong-gi) |
| Genre | Turn-based roguelike RPG |
| platform | Mobile (Google Play, iOS App Store) |
| Release date | October 1, 2026 (Google Play), October 4, 2026 (App Store) |
| price | Free by default, in-app purchases (Folktale Collection) |
| language | Korean, English |
| Reactions/Evaluations | App Store rating 4.6 (11 reviews, as of the time of verification) |
| Google Play | Shortcut |
| App Store | Shortcut |
| Official trailer | Shortcut |
