Only one way out at ‘Code Escape’

Imagine being led, blindfolded, down a hall and into a room behind a big wooden door.

The door’s lock clicks, and music begins blaring from the speakers. You take off the blindfold, and the digital clock on the wall starts counting down.

You have 60 minutes to find the key and escape. Every item in the room could be a clue.

This is the basic setup for the experience at Code Escape in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, an offline escape game that offers a real-life version of popular online and mobile escape games.

There are five different rooms for escape ― the feminine “Paparazzi,” the adventurous “Invitation,” the calculative “Industrial Spy,” the eerie “Kidnapped” and the family-friendly “Secret Zoo.”

“I have a database of different themes, and since we’re just starting out I wanted to mix different styles to see which would be the most popular,” said Kim Tae-yune, the manager of the store.

Since the content of each room is secret ― visitors must sign a contract saying they will not divulge what they see, and turn in all cell phones and recording devices before entering ― rooms are chosen based on their general themes. So far, the most popular is “Kidnapped,” with a storyline about a human trafficking ring.

Kim says that the rooms are usually full, despite having opened just three weeks ago.

“People who play online escape games find out about us through Twitter or other online communities,” she said. “We’re always fully booked on weekends, so visitors should always make reservations ahead of time to get the room they want.”

The clues that help the visitors escape can be anything from serial numbers to the arrangement of items on a table to something in a photo on the wall.

“It’s not meant to be easy,” said Kim. “We maintain an escape rate of 10 percent. If we see too many teams escaping a particular room, we’ll make it harder by adding another twist before they can find the key. Escaping a room once doesn’t mean you’ll be able to escape it again if you come back. The rooms are always changing.”

According to Kim, one of the reasons that so many teams are unable to escape is that they do not fully utilize their resources.

“Each room has a phone that lets you call and ask for a hint,” she said. “Our players rarely call because they think it’s embarrassing. But getting other people’s help is an important part of solving any problem. That can mean the difference between escaping and staying trapped.”

Code Escape is located near Gangnam Station in Seoul. For more information, call (02) 501-1303 or visit www.code-escape.com. Prices are 44,000 won per room for 1-2 people, and 18,000 won per person for 3-5 people.

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)