Smilegate’s latest game commemorates March 1 Independence Movement Day

Smilegate said Friday it will release Wonhon: A vengeful spirit to recount the atrocities South Koreans suffered under Japanese colonial rule and to celebrate the upcoming 102th anniversary of March 1 Independence Movement Day.

According to the Korean gaming company, the prologue version of Wonhon will be unveiled on its content sourcing and distributing platform Smilegate Stove on March 1.

Developed by Busan Sanai Games and published by Super.com, the thriller PC game takes place during the Korean Empire in the 1920s and revolves around the story of a young girl whose family is killed by Japanese soldiers. To take revenge, the girl works with a reaper and learns how to possess spirits. Users’ mission is to track the killer of her family using her skills and complete the revenge.

The official launch of Wonhon is scheduled for the second half of this year.

“It feels special to introduce the game on Smilegate Stove exclusively on such a historic day. Smilegate Stove will continue to find quality indie games and do its best to service them,” Smilegate Stove CEO Han Young-woon said.

On March 1, 1919, 33 leaders of the independence movement gathered in Jongno in Seoul and proclaimed Korea’s independence from Japan. The movement quickly spread to cities and town across the peninsula. About 2 million people took part in the movement, making up 10 percent of the Korean population at the time. Overwhelmed by the size of protests, Japanese authorities used military troops to suppress the movement, resulting in thousands of deaths.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)