Ryu Beom-seon, head of the Korea Escape Room Association, poses at an escape room venue in Seoul, Feb. 1. Korea Times photo by Ha Sang-yoon
“Please place your hands on the shoulders of the person in front of you and close your eyes. Follow me carefully inside. Once I leave, the game will begin. If there’s an emergency, contact us immediately. Good luck escaping.”
When the door shuts and I open my eyes, I find myself standing in what looks like a neighborhood alley. For the next 60 minutes, I am a detective tasked with identifying the culprit in a murder case. My first challenge is unlocking a cabinet that contains files on potential suspects.
Scenes like this are common inside so-called “escape room cafes.” Despite the name, these venues do not sell beverages. Instead, they offer themed puzzle experiences in which participants solve clues to escape a locked space within a set time limit. Themes range from horror and fantasy to action, mystery and comedy.
Participation typically costs about 20,000 won ($15) per hour. The games can be played alone or in groups, and their role-playing element — allowing participants to feel like protagonists in a drama — has fueled their popularity.
That helps explain why reservations at some well-known venues fill within minutes when bookings open a month in advance. Many players also describe the thrill of solving puzzles and escaping just in time as highly addictive.
Beyond individual entertainment, the growing popularity of escape rooms has helped transform what began as a niche hobby into an industry that supports regional tourism and attracts interest from overseas businesses.
As South Korea’s escape room industry marks roughly its 10th anniversary, Ryu Beom-seon, head of the Korea Escape Room Association, discussed the sector’s development and future.
From foreign tourist draw to full-fledged industry
Ryu’s first experience with an escape room cafe came in 2015, after a recommendation from a friend. It was in April of that year that South Korea’s first escape room cafe opened. Since then, he has logged 1,395 visits.
Source: Korea Times News
