One of five siblings, In Kyung skipped college and moved from the countryside to Seoul after graduating from high school in 1993. The pastime blossomed into passion, and, after competing in several tournaments, she caught the eye of Samsung talent scouts just as pro video gaming was gaining in popularity. Her parents, once skeptical of her occupation, were convinced when they saw a photo of their daughter in a local newspaper. But I don't care what society thinks. More than 1,000 gamers have, like her, become pros in the last year, according to Bruce Won, vice president at Battle Top, organizer of the year-old Korea International Game League.
Prize money is just part of the spoils.
The road to the top can include a sponsorship from one of the 30 corporations that bankroll players for marketing purposes. Samsung houses its team in an upscale apartment building and monitors the schedules of its players as vigilantly as any World Cup soccer team manager. Companies mine rising stars in a fashion similar to professional sports. Scouts haunt game rooms, visit tournaments, watch the rankings and gossip with league personnel. An itchy trigger-finger isn't enough to land a sponsor.