[Monthly GC] Heading to TGS! + Aug–Sep Game Collab Trends
Updated: 6 days ago
Hello, this is Jung-hyun Kim from GC USA.
I'm writing a little earlier than usual this time. Mornings and evenings are starting to feel noticeably cooler now — please watch out for the temperature swings, and have a great week! (Chuseok is already next week!)
I'll Be at TGS!
This time I'll be attending the Tokyo Game Show together with Director Bong Im. We'll be there both days, Thursday Sept. 17 and Friday Sept. 18, and we've set up a meeting table in the International Conference Room at the convention hall. I heard the happy news that a lot of Korean game companies will be exhibiting this time, so I'd love to say hello in person, even briefly, after a while. If you're planning to attend, feel free to let me know!
The Foot Doctor — a Podiatrist
If you got a corn or athlete's foot, which doctor would Americans go see for treatment? In Korea, you'd probably head to a dermatologist or an orthopedist. But in the US there's a doctor who specializes only in the foot and ankle — a separate specialty of its own. I already knew podiatrists existed in the US, but I'd personally never had a reason to see one. Recently, my daughter, who was struggling with a corn, went to see this podiatrist. Apparently they handle every kind of medical care related to the foot and ankle — sounds a bit unfamiliar, doesn't it?
That reminds me — back when we were preparing a pharma campaign for a client entering the US market, the client actually picked this doctor as a reference example. I think they saw her as approachable and friendly — a doctor, and a woman doctor at that. I remember explaining to them at the time that "this doctor is a kind of specialist that only exists in the US — a foot doctor."
Chipotle
I stopped by Korea briefly on my way to Tokyo. While out for a work errand near Gangnam Station, I spotted a long line of people — proof of just how popular Chipotle has gotten since it recently opened in Korea, its first market in Asia. Chipotle is America's iconic Mexican fast-casual restaurant chain, one of the US's beloved national brands ever since it was founded in 1993. Its signature style: pick a format — burrito, bowl, tacos, or salad — then build it up ingredient by ingredient to your own taste.
If you ever visit California, the two restaurants I'd always recommend are In-N-Out Burger and Chipotle — though ordering at either one takes a bit of skill. And both come with the minor downside of long lines, where you end up watching the clock for the person behind you.
"Double-single, grilled onion" (two beef patties, one slice of cheese, and grilled onions instead of raw) — that's my go-to order at In-N-Out.
At Chipotle, you choose Bowl/Burrito/Tacos/Salad → then Rice → Beans → Protein (meat) → Veggies → Salsa (spice level) → Toppings — honestly, there's no end to the choices. I'm curious whether the same combo options are available in Korea, and if any of you have tried it, what combination did you go with!
Global News 🗺️
Game Collabs Are Heating Up This August–September 🔥
🎵 Pokémon × Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran made a surprise appearance on stage at this year's Pokémon World Championships (held in San Francisco), singing an original Pokémon theme song together with fans. This isn't his first Pokémon connection, either — Ed Sheeran sang 'Celestial,' the ending-credits song for Pokémon Scarlet/Violet, back in 2022, and it's still talked about today. It's a great example of just how naturally global pop stars and game IP are coming together these days 🎤
🍬 Candy Crush × Shania Twain × Zedd
This month, Candy Crush brought together country-pop legend Shania Twain and Grammy-winning producer Zedd for a collab. They reimagined Shania Twain's 1998 hit 'You're Still the One' as a Zedd-style remix, complete with a fresh sound and an interactive music video — find the codes hidden throughout the video and you get rewarded, a fun way of blurring the line between gaming and music 🎶
🥚 Duolingo × NetEase Eggy Party
Cross-IP collabs are picking up too — language-learning app Duolingo has teamed up with NetEase’s popular casual game Eggy Party. Keep a 3-day learning streak on Duolingo and you unlock exclusive in-game rewards in Eggy Party. The collab reportedly grew out of a shared trait: "both are communities people come back to every day." A learning app meeting a game IP — an interesting combination 🌱
✨ Puzzle & Dragons × Puella Magi Madoka Magica
GungHo's long-running staple Puzzle & Dragons ran a short collab with the anime 'Puella Magi Madoka Magica.' Key characters — Madoka, Homura, Mami, Sayaka, and Kyoko — are available through the gacha.
Pairing game IP with celebrities has moved well beyond a quick buzz moment — it's become a core marketing strategy for expanding each other's fanbase and reshaping brand image.
GC has also seen a sharp rise in collab projects with celebrities and mega-creators lately — if you're thinking about an IP collab campaign, feel free to reach out 🙌 We'll back you up with a solid casting network.
ContentFlux
We're happy to share that we've also started running a series on Game8, one of Japan's leading game guide and information websites 😄
📰 First article: リズム天国 ミラクルスターズ：世界を席巻する本場日本のリズムゲーム
You can also check out our weekly ContentFlux series, produced in partnership with ThisIsGame, below 🙌
• Witcher 3 devs' new game 'The Blood of Dawnwalker' — how are the streaming numbers? (Article)
• Netflix's 31.1M Views: 'GTA 6' Trailer Shakes Up the Streaming Scene (Article)
• Mixed Reception for the 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4' Beta — What Do the Streaming Numbers Say? (Article)
• Metacritic 86 / OpenCritic 87 'Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls' — Streaming Metrics (Article)
• Metascore 91 'Big Walk' — Early Launch Reception, by the Streaming Data (Article)
*Clicking the image above will take you to the series page :)
