The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) New York Business Center, in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Center New York, are operating a 'K-PC Bang'—a faithful recreation of Korea's iconic gaming dens—on the second floor of the New York Korea Center until August 22.

This K-PC Bang is a core component of 'It’s Time for K-Culture 2026: Escape the Summer, Dive into Korea,' a summer cultural campaign co-hosted by three institutions based at the New York Korea Center: the Korean Cultural Center New York, the KOCCA New York Business Center, and the Korea Tourism Organization New York office.

By pooling the expertise and content of these respective agencies, the initiative weaves a single narrative across gaming, cinema, tourism, and beauty, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the Korean summer experience.

The KOCCA aims to introduce the PC Bang culture to a local audience while bolstering the North American expansion of domestic game developers. The K-PC Bang is equipped with 12 PCs and 6 mobile devices, showcasing a diverse range of genres including action, fantasy, horror, and tycoon titles.

Featured titles include Crossfire, Epic Seven, Chaos Zero Nightmare, and a selection from the indie game platform Stove Indie, such as All of Us Are Dead, Alleyway: Ghost Trace, Maid of the Storm, The Coma 3, and Seoul Station.

Visitors who partake in the gaming experience are eligible for game-related merchandise provided by Smilegate. Furthermore, a snack zone established in partnership with Nongshim offers refreshments such as cup ramen.

Lee Han-beom, Director of External Policy at Smilegate, remarked, "It is incredibly meaningful to showcase K-games, which are already seeing positive results in North America, alongside the unique culture of the PC Bang." Director Lee added, "We intend to continue collaborating with various New York institutions to further expand our engagement with local American users."

The opening ceremony, held on the 7th at the New York Korea Center, drew over 200 local industry figures from the culture, content, tourism, culinary, and beauty sectors, all of whom experienced the K-PC Bang and its associated programming firsthand.

Smilegate CEO Seong Joon-ho, who supported the K-PC Bang initiative, was in attendance, joined by representatives from key local institutions such as the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME), the NYC Economic Development Corporation, the NYU Game Center, and the Game Design Futures Lab, as well as various game startups.

Beyond simply introducing the PC Bang concept, the KOCCA intends to leverage the K-PC Bang to build local networks and facilitate business matching between US-based firms and South Korean game developers, aiming to drive North American exports.

Lee Yang-hwan, Director of the KOCCA New York Business Center, stated, "This K-PC Bang is a meaningful project that highlights the competitiveness and diversity of K-content through the immersive experience of Korean gaming culture in New York." Director Lee added, "I hope this collaborative project serves as a foundation for domestic game companies to succeed in North America and creates lasting opportunities in New York."

The K-PC Bang is integrated with a variety of special events. From August 1 to 3, it will coincide with 'BTS THE CITY NEW YORK,' an event tied to BTS performances in New York and New Jersey, featuring an 'ARMY MADANG' fan experience space. Subsequently, a 'Summer Horror Midnight Film Festival' will run from August 6 to 21, ensuring that various facets of Korean culture can be enjoyed alongside the K-PC Bang.