A three-part documentary series exploring the history and culture of domestic gaming, titled 'Save the Game', is set to air on December 29.

Save the Game is a documentary that charts the journey of those who paved the way for game development and the industry back when local titles were virtually non-existent, fueled by nothing but grit and passion.

Directed by Park Yoon-jin—known for her work on the Ellinia documentary 'My Sister Jeon Ji-hyun and Me', which snagged the Independent Film Support Award at the 41st Korean Association of Film Critics Awards—this new project is a collaboration with the Nexon Foundation, serving as a definitive archive of 30 years of the Korean game industry.

Part 1, 'Save the Game', examines the genesis of the South Korean game industry in the 80s and 90s, while Part 2, 'On the Line', shines a light on the golden age of Korean online gaming in the 2000s. Part 3, 'Good Game (GG), How Are Korean Gamers Made?', explores the unique traits of Korean gamers who have dominated the global esports stage, in a country where the overall gaming participation rate has hit 74.4%.

The documentary aims to strike a chord with all generations, stirring up nostalgia by spotlighting key industry figures, beloved classic titles, iconic OSTs, and the shifting sensibilities from the analog to the digital era.

Each episode's poster features hardware and games representative of its respective era. The poster for Part 1, 'Save the Game', evokes 80s and 90s nostalgia with a clunky computer model and monitor displaying the slogans "Full of Romance, A Remarkable Beginning" and "The Story of the Frontiers". Behind the computer, posters of domestic classics like Astonishia Story, The Day, Legend of the Sword, The War of Genesis, and Fox Ranger are plastered on the wall.

The poster for Part 2, 'On the Line', features computer models and props from the 00s and 10s. The monitor displays the slogans "The Age of Glory" and "We Were Always Together," recalling the renaissance of Korean online gaming. Surrounding the computer are posters for TalesWeaver, the fantasy novel 'Children of the Rune', and character stickers from Crazy Arcade and KartRider.

The poster for Part 3, 'Good Game (GG), How Are Korean Gamers Made?', features a modern gaming rig and a caption reading "Game Nation = South Korea," highlighting the national pride of a country that stands as an esports powerhouse. The background is filled with stills from various eras, chronicling the history of this 'Game Nation'.

The trailers for each episode, also released today, break down the history of Korean gaming into three distinct eras. The preview for Part 1, 'Save the Game', promises candid testimonies from first-generation developers, including those who worked on Korea's first commercial game 'Legend of the Sword', as well as 'The Day 3', 'Fox Ranger', 'The Kingdom of the Winds', and 'Astonishia Story'. You can also catch glimpses of long-forgotten artifacts like floppy disks and rare archival footage.

The trailer for Part 2, 'On the Line', tackles the 2000s—the era widely regarded as the Korean gaming renaissance. It reflects on the 'flowering season' of the industry, a time when the domestic internet-using population surpassed 10 million, ushering in an online gaming era that fundamentally shifted how gamers interacted.

The preview for Part 3, 'Good Game (GG), How Are Korean Gamers Made?', examines the gameplay of Koreans, widely considered the 'world's strongest gamers'. Featuring former pro-gamer Jung Myung-hoon and current pro-gamer Moon Ho-jun, it explores the grit, passion, and unique playstyles that make Korean gamers—both pros and casuals alike—a force to be reckoned with globally.

The three-part Nexon game documentary 'Save the Game' will be available on OTT platforms starting December 29. The first installment, 'Save the Game', previously premiered at the 29th Busan International Film Festival.