The Korea Mobile Game Association (Chairman Hwang Seong-ik) agreed to open an ‘Indie Game Special Zone’ in collaboration with ‘Illustrator Fes’ (hosted by Starlike and Senarium) to create a breakthrough in the new indie game field along with the subculture industry. It was announced on the 26th that it was done.
The ‘3rd Illustrator Fes’, which will be held on February 17th and 18th, 2024, in halls 7 and 8 of KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2 in Ilsan, is a comprehensive event that ambitiously started with the motto, “A comprehensive subculture event that everyone creates together.” It is a subcultural event.
Illustrator Fes is well-received for its user-friendly operation and abundant things to see and enjoy, from the ‘Dongin Market,’ which is the core of the secondary creative culture that leads the subculture to ‘stage performances’ and ‘cosplay,’ and is visited by about 10,000 people in 2023. Starting with the first event in January 2018, the second event held in October last year attracted about 25,000 enthusiasts and emerged as a new dark horse for group and subculture events.
For the 3rd event in February 2024, both companies are working together to prepare a new exhibition in the ‘gaming field.’ The gaming field is an inseparable part of the subculture field. In the past, it was often used in the derogatory sense of ‘bad virtue.’ Still, as subculture-related industries have recently attracted attention, it has been recognized as a new cultural food business.
Illustrator Fes and the Korea Mobile Game Association plan to organize and recruit small and medium-sized indie game developers. In particular, this collaboration is a big decision to recruit participating developers for free as a new challenge for Illustrator Fes. Indie games of various genres and subcultures are expected to meet users through the exhibition.
Indie game developers can obtain various feedback through skinship with users and use it in game development and release. It is expected that users will also be able to experience something new by participating in ‘indie games,’ a recent entertainment activity, along with Dongin Market and cosplay.
Chairman Hwang Seong-ik said, “Recently, subculture is a field that is emerging as a popular cultural industry. I am pleased to collaborate with Illustrator Fes, who oversees the new event. In particular, we would like to thank Illustrator Fes again for holding a free exhibition for indie game developers. “We will prepare well so that this collaboration can become an opportunity for various advancements in the gaming industry,” he said.
Chae Byeong-hyo, CEO of Starlike, who hosted the event, said, “We are honored to take the first step in moving beyond illustration and music to games with the Korea Mobile Game Association,” and added, “We will help various indie game developers and pioneer a path together.” “He said
The 3rd Illustrator Fes ‘Indie Game Special Zone’ will recruit through Google Forms until Friday, December 29th. For more details, search for ‘Illustrator Fes’ on X (Twitter) or check through the Google form link.