The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) issued a corrective order and a fine of 158 million KRW to Webzen on November 28 for violating the E-commerce Act regarding the sale of loot boxes in 'MU Archangel'. In response, the Korea Game User Association and the Webzen Game Victims Group are planning to file a class-action lawsuit against Webzen.

The KFTC's sanctions target the sales method of loot boxes in 'MU Archangel'. From June 27, 2020, to March 21, 2024, certain loot boxes sold in the game had a 0% acquisition rate for rare components until a specific number of purchases were made. Webzen failed to disclose this condition, leading consumers to purchase paid loot boxes without knowing the actual odds.

The KFTC determined that this practice misled consumers regarding acquisition probabilities. The case was processed under Article 21, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 1 of the E-commerce Act, which prohibits businesses from using deceptive methods to lure consumers or hinder contract cancellations.

The KFTC noted that while Webzen attempted to self-correct and provided some compensation, only 860 out of 20,226 total victims (approximately 4.3%) received restitution, meaning consumer damage remained largely unaddressed.

Consequently, the KFTC imposed a corrective order and a fine of 158 million KRW. This is a significantly larger penalty compared to the corrective orders and 2.5 million KRW fines imposed on four other game companies—Gravity, Wemade, Krafton, and Com2uS—between April and June 2025.

The KFTC explained that it imposed a fine instead of a business suspension because less than 5% of victims were compensated, making simple corrective measures insufficient for full restitution.

Regarding the KFTC's decision, Webzen stated, "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers. Refund requests are still being processed through our official community. We accept the KFTC’s decision and recommendations and will strive to prevent any recurrence."

The Korea Game User Association has been working in solidarity with the 'Webzen Game Victims Group', formed by users of three Webzen titles: 'MU Archangel', 'MU Origin', and 'The Eminence in Shadow'. They held a truck protest in front of Webzen's headquarters on September 23 last year and a one-person protest in front of the National Assembly on October 21.

Last year, Webzen CEO Kim Tae-young attended the National Assembly's audit as a witness and was questioned by lawmakers regarding loot box probability issues and the unilateral decision to terminate services.

A representative for the Webzen Game Victims Group stated, "Despite the KFTC's sanctions, over 95% of victims have received no compensation. The illegal revenue generated is estimated at 6.7 billion KRW, while the fine is only 158 million KRW, making a civil lawsuit inevitable for actual damage recovery."

The Korea Game User Association explained that Webzen's loot box sales practices violate Article 21, Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 1 of the E-commerce Act, and that users can exercise their rights to claim damages for torts and the return of unjust enrichment under civil law.

Accordingly, the Korea Game User Association and the Webzen Game Victims Group plan to gather affected users and file a class-action lawsuit in the near future.

Attorney Lee Chul-woo, head of the association, commented, "The KFTC's strict sanctions against Webzen's deceptive practices are a significant step forward for protecting game users' rights. However, since administrative sanctions do not automatically lead to consumer restitution, separate efforts for damage recovery must continue."

 

Meanwhile, Webzen faces ongoing uncertainty as the KFTC continues to investigate other issues, including allegations of 'hidden option caps' in 'MU Archangel', the 'abrupt service termination' of 'The Eminence in Shadow', and the 'super account' controversy in 'MU Origin'.