A display screen from a Korean language game featuring actor Bae Yong-joon

A game targeting fans of top Korean Wave actor Bae Yong-joon who want to learn Korean will be launched in Japan in January next year.

The Busan Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday that multimedia company Mobilero has developed an educational Korean language game starring Bae with funds from it and the Korea Culture and Content Agency.

Mobilero paid W400 million (US$1=W1,351) to Bae’s management agency Keyeast for the right to use his image. The game can be installed in portable multimedia handsets, such as the Nintendo DS, and users can learn Korean with Bae through listening, reading and writing. Bae will dub the voice of his character.

Baek Seung-hyun, CEO of Mobilero, said the game will cost about 5,000 yen, and that his company anticipates sales of 200,000 packs, worth W10 billion, next year. “If there is a high uptake, we will develop intermediate and advanced-level sequels, and English versions for second and third-generation Koreans living overseas,” said Baek.

(englishnews@chosun.com )