• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 13:20
CEST 19:20
KST 02:20
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Serral wins EWC 202542Tournament Spotlight: FEL Cracow 202510Power Rank - Esports World Cup 202580RSL Season 1 - Final Week9[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall15
Community News
Weekly Cups (Jul 28-Aug 3): herO doubles up5LiuLi Cup - August 2025 Tournaments3[BSL 2025] H2 - Team Wars, Weeklies & SB Ladder10EWC 2025 - Replay Pack4Google Play ASL (Season 20) Announced58
StarCraft 2
General
Clem Interview: "PvT is a bit insane right now" Serral wins EWC 2025 TL Team Map Contest #5: Presented by Monster Energy Would you prefer the game to be balanced around top-tier pro level or average pro level? Weekly Cups (Jul 28-Aug 3): herO doubles up
Tourneys
WardiTV Mondays $5,000 WardiTV Summer Championship 2025 Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament LiuLi Cup - August 2025 Tournaments Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond)
Strategy
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 485 Death from Below Mutation # 484 Magnetic Pull Mutation #239 Bad Weather Mutation # 483 Kill Bot Wars
Brood War
General
How do the new Battle.net ranks translate? Which top zerg/toss will fail in qualifiers? BW General Discussion Google Play ASL (Season 20) Announced Nobody gona talk about this year crazy qualifiers?
Tourneys
[ASL20] Online Qualifiers Day 2 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Cosmonarchy Pro Showmatches [ASL20] Online Qualifiers Day 1
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers [G] Mineral Boosting Muta micro map competition Does 1 second matter in StarCraft?
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Total Annihilation Server - TAForever Beyond All Reason [MMORPG] Tree of Savior (Successor of Ragnarok)
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Bitcoin discussion thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread 9/11 Anniversary
Fan Clubs
INnoVation Fan Club SKT1 Classic Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread Korean Music Discussion
Sports
2024 - 2025 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Gtx660 graphics card replacement Installation of Windows 10 suck at "just a moment" Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
TeamLiquid Team Shirt On Sale The Automated Ban List
Blogs
[Girl blog} My fema…
artosisisthebest
Sharpening the Filtration…
frozenclaw
ASL S20 English Commentary…
namkraft
The Link Between Fitness and…
TrAiDoS
momentary artworks from des…
tankgirl
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 696 users

Why SC2 is not as popular as BW in Korea?

Forum Index > Closed
Post a Reply
raff100
Profile Joined April 2011
498 Posts
December 11 2016 15:04 GMT
#1
As the title says,why Starcraft 2 has not been able to captivate the Korean audience?
What difference does it make Broodwar a better game according to Korean fans?

Deleted User 26513
Profile Joined February 2007
2376 Posts
December 11 2016 15:09 GMT
#2
On December 12 2016 00:04 raff100 wrote:
As the title says,why Starcraft 2 has not been able to captivate the Korean audience?
What difference does it make Broodwar a better game according to Korean fans?


Why eating in front of a camera is popular in Korea ? God knows... Korea is weird.
They have BW and they don't want a replacement
Ziggy
Profile Blog Joined June 2013
South Korea2105 Posts
December 11 2016 15:11 GMT
#3
A day on TL wouldnt be a proper day without someone asking a question like the OP
WriterDefeating a sandwich only makes it tastier. @imjustziggy
LegalLord
Profile Blog Joined April 2013
United Kingdom13775 Posts
December 11 2016 15:12 GMT
#4
I don't think there needs to be any deep reason why. They just preferred BW to SC2 and that's all that needs to be said about it.
History will sooner or later sweep the European Union away without mercy.
aQuaSC
Profile Joined August 2011
717 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-11 15:15:55
December 11 2016 15:12 GMT
#5
One of the reasons was the fact that you had to initially buy the game to play it in their pc bangs, while there was no such restriction on BW as it was mostly pirated - you only need BW key to enter Blizzard's battle.net which is pretty much abandoned by now. I read somewhere that Blizzard learned from that mistake with Overwatch, you don't need to own Overwatch license to play it there.
TL+ Member
Eighty7Gaming
Profile Joined November 2015
12 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-11 15:21:21
December 11 2016 15:20 GMT
#6
Governmental monopoly (kespa) on potential grassroots organizations and it's inability to adapt to a new audience is the leading theory imo.
Lexender
Profile Joined September 2013
Mexico2647 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-11 15:20:55
December 11 2016 15:20 GMT
#7
For the same reason Sudden Attack is more popular than CS:GO:

Korea is weird.

The same reason they play a shit ton of old games like AION and Lineage 1.

Koreans just have their own thing going and I don't think anybody could ever come with a reason why exactly.
Clonester
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany2808 Posts
December 11 2016 15:26 GMT
#8
Because BW was fine 2010 and nobody asked for a replacement in Korea.

The replacement still came and was then a game that made alot different (and worse with Bnet 2.0). Didnt help that the leading ProScene of BW did not switch over at the beginning but at a point, where the problems of SC II have been at a high peak (end of 2012, Brofestor 1000 times inferiour to any BW matchup).
BW is almost for free (go to PC Bang, play it) while you need your own WoL and later HotS copy to play SC II. And if you stayed with SC II, you even needed LotV.

Its not only because Korea is weird (have you seen Kartrider Esport?) but also because Blizzard made mistakes with SC II on top of the inherent problem that a great game played by millions was pushed aside by a game which is quite different while also very expensive.
Bomber, Attacker, DD, SOMEBODY, NiKo, Nex, Spidii
Marou
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Germany1371 Posts
December 11 2016 15:27 GMT
#9
On December 12 2016 00:12 aQuaSC wrote:
One of the reasons was the fact that you had to initially buy the game to play it in their pc bangs, while there was no such restriction on BW as it was mostly pirated - you only need BW key to enter Blizzard's battle.net which is pretty much abandoned by now. I read somewhere that Blizzard learned from that mistake with Overwatch, you don't need to own Overwatch license to play it there.


I think its one of the big reason SC2 didnt take off so much in Korea. I was living there shortly after the game was released and people were NOT playing SC2 in PC Bangs.

Another thing is that strategy game are not as popular as they used to be. BW got insanely popular because the timing for the game was so perfect, it was a time where PC Bangs were exploding and BW was just one of the best, if not the absolute best multiplayer game out there. People got into it, and they got into more and more as they discovered the infinite depth of gameplay that BW offers. That success was replicated by LoL and now Overwatch is on the same path, it's just that the game are more tailored to what people want to play these days.

SC2 missed its window in south korea, the game was still a commercial success but it needed more than that to become a mainstream thing like BW, LoL or OW. Multiplayer had to be free to play, and the arcade should have been better on release too, Korean love mods. Couple years ago i could see more people playing WC3 UMS than there were people playing SC2 in PC Bangs.
twitter@RickyMarou
Chris_Havoc
Profile Joined August 2016
United States600 Posts
December 11 2016 15:32 GMT
#10
One reason was for over a decade BW was in many ways South Korea's "national esport". BW has it's own well-defined history and cultural significance that just doesn't exist in other esports (yet).

Brood War will likely never truly disappear for the Korean fans who both love it and grew up watching it.
Owner of the SC2 Esports Anthology channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SC2EsportsAnthology
JimmyJRaynor
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Canada16710 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-11 15:38:01
December 11 2016 15:33 GMT
#11
South Korea created their own grass roots eSports scene for BW.
An American company Blizzard controlled SC2 esports from day 1.

Blizzard should've done whatever it took to get the grassroots Korean BW eSports guys on board.

On December 12 2016 00:32 Chris_Havoc wrote:
One reason was for over a decade BW was in many ways South Korea's "national esport". BW has it's own well-defined history and cultural significance that just doesn't exist in other esports (yet).
Brood War will likely never truly disappear for the Korean fans who both love it and grew up watching it.

I'm sure South Korea has its own versions of Don King, Vince Mcmahon, and Dana White. You just can't fuck with those types of people you have to negotiate with them. Blizzard did a poor negotiation job with the top "power brokers" of the BW esports scene at the start.

I always get a laugh out of US companies that come up to Canada thinking they can take over by just setting up shop here. Its funny watching them get stomped and leave town. hi Target!
Ray Kassar To David Crane : "you're no more important to Atari than the factory workers assembling the cartridges"
Shinokuki
Profile Joined July 2013
United States859 Posts
December 11 2016 18:09 GMT
#12
On December 12 2016 00:20 Lexender wrote:
For the same reason Sudden Attack is more popular than CS:GO:

Korea is weird.

The same reason they play a shit ton of old games like AION and Lineage 1.

Koreans just have their own thing going and I don't think anybody could ever come with a reason why exactly.

lmao contributing sc2's success towards korea's weirdness and other reasons. Look people sc2 was not a good game. it constantly had problems and balance issues. the game wasnt pretty nor entertaining. why is sc2 so pathetic in the non koreans regions as well?
Life is just life
Deleted User 26513
Profile Joined February 2007
2376 Posts
December 11 2016 18:41 GMT
#13
On December 12 2016 03:09 Shinokuki wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 12 2016 00:20 Lexender wrote:
For the same reason Sudden Attack is more popular than CS:GO:

Korea is weird.

The same reason they play a shit ton of old games like AION and Lineage 1.

Koreans just have their own thing going and I don't think anybody could ever come with a reason why exactly.

lmao contributing sc2's success towards korea's weirdness and other reasons. Look people sc2 was not a good game. it constantly had problems and balance issues. the game wasnt pretty nor entertaining. why is sc2 so pathetic in the non koreans regions as well?

Thank god you are here to tell us how it is...

+ Show Spoiler +
Did your mommy hate you ?


TL is pretty sad place lately.
Garuga
Profile Joined June 2015
49 Posts
December 11 2016 18:47 GMT
#14
It's called nostalgia porn.
outscar
Profile Joined September 2014
2832 Posts
December 11 2016 18:51 GMT
#15
On December 12 2016 03:09 Shinokuki wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 12 2016 00:20 Lexender wrote:
For the same reason Sudden Attack is more popular than CS:GO:

Korea is weird.

The same reason they play a shit ton of old games like AION and Lineage 1.

Koreans just have their own thing going and I don't think anybody could ever come with a reason why exactly.

lmao contributing sc2's success towards korea's weirdness and other reasons. Look people sc2 was not a good game. it constantly had problems and balance issues. the game wasnt pretty nor entertaining. why is sc2 so pathetic in the non koreans regions as well?


+100500 BW is just better. Ask any pro, caster who played BW everyone will agree that BW is better. Even IdrA I remember told on his stream that.
sunbeams are never made like me...
Pokebunny
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States10654 Posts
December 11 2016 18:53 GMT
#16
On December 12 2016 03:09 Shinokuki wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 12 2016 00:20 Lexender wrote:
For the same reason Sudden Attack is more popular than CS:GO:

Korea is weird.

The same reason they play a shit ton of old games like AION and Lineage 1.

Koreans just have their own thing going and I don't think anybody could ever come with a reason why exactly.

lmao contributing sc2's success towards korea's weirdness and other reasons. Look people sc2 was not a good game. it constantly had problems and balance issues. the game wasnt pretty nor entertaining. why is sc2 so pathetic in the non koreans regions as well?

Even before Blizzard's involvement, SC2 esports was so much bigger outside of Korea than BW ever was. I mean in BW we had a $5k online tournament and thought it was the best thing ever. I loved foreign BW but we had no concept even of progamers outside of Korea.
Semipro Terran player | Pokebunny#1710 | twitter.com/Pokebunny | twitch.tv/Pokebunny | facebook.com/PokebunnySC
KadaverBB
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Germany25657 Posts
December 11 2016 18:53 GMT
#17
This thread simply will not go well and it has been discussed to death.
AdministratorLaws change depending on who's making them, but justice is justice
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
WardiTV Summer Champion…
15:00
Open Qualifier #2
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Hui .187
UpATreeSC 147
BRAT_OK 143
StarCraft: Brood War
Calm 4162
Rain 3064
Bisu 1588
Shuttle 1435
Flash 944
Horang2 756
EffOrt 678
firebathero 557
ggaemo 519
Mini 487
[ Show more ]
Mong 403
Hyuk 345
Soulkey 210
TY 147
PianO 136
Barracks 122
hero 117
Snow 101
Dewaltoss 98
Movie 96
sSak 78
Sharp 50
sas.Sziky 43
Killer 40
JYJ30
scan(afreeca) 30
Aegong 20
Terrorterran 11
Stormgate
TKL 200
Dota 2
Gorgc6986
qojqva4003
Dendi2450
syndereN502
League of Legends
Reynor91
Counter-Strike
fl0m2453
flusha444
kRYSTAL_59
Super Smash Bros
hungrybox496
Other Games
Lowko390
KnowMe384
B2W.Neo242
Trikslyr64
QueenE48
Organizations
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 22 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• davetesta45
• iHatsuTV 23
• Hinosc 15
• Dystopia_ 6
• Reevou 1
• sooper7s
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• Migwel
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• intothetv
• IndyKCrew
• Kozan
StarCraft: Brood War
• HerbMon 1
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Dota 2
• C_a_k_e 3782
• masondota2586
• Shiphtur283
League of Legends
• Nemesis5218
• TFBlade1051
Other Games
• imaqtpie271
Upcoming Events
PiGosaur Monday
6h 40m
WardiTV Summer Champion…
17h 40m
Stormgate Nexus
20h 40m
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
22h 40m
The PondCast
1d 16h
WardiTV Summer Champion…
1d 17h
Replay Cast
2 days
LiuLi Cup
2 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
2 days
RSL Revival
3 days
[ Show More ]
RSL Revival
3 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
3 days
CSO Cup
3 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
4 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
4 days
Wardi Open
5 days
RotterdaM Event
5 days
RSL Revival
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

ASL Season 20: Qualifier #2
FEL Cracow 2025
CC Div. A S7

Ongoing

Copa Latinoamericana 4
Jiahua Invitational
BSL 20 Team Wars
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 3
BSL 21 Qualifiers
HCC Europe
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025

Upcoming

ASL Season 20
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
BSL Season 21
BSL 21 Team A
RSL Revival: Season 2
Maestros of the Game
SEL Season 2 Championship
WardiTV Summer 2025
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
Thunderpick World Champ.
MESA Nomadic Masters Fall
CS Asia Championships 2025
Roobet Cup 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.