The Game Rating and Administration Committee (Korean: 게임물관리위원회; RR: Geimmul Gwalli-Wiwonhoe; GRAC) (formerly the Game Rating Board (Korean: 게임물등급위원회; RR: Geimmul Deung-Geub-Wiwonhoe) until December 23, 2013) is the South Koreanvideo game content rating board. A governmental organization, the GRAC rates video games to inform customers of the nature of game contents.
Initially, the Korea Media Rating Board, a governmental organization, rated video games just like other entertainment media. However, a controversy occurred because the Korea Media Rating Board rated an arcade gambling game as if it were suitable for everyone, with allegations of misconduct. The Korean government responded to the controversy by creating the GRB in 2006 and making it the only rating organization for rating video games in South Korea.[1][2][3][4]
The GRAC has been criticized as one of the elements of the Internet censorship in South Korea.[5][6][7] By law, games sold in the country must be rated by GRAC prior to sale; additional regulations stipulate age and real name verification for certain mature-audience titles, as well as regulations on location-based games.[8]
The GRAC currently uses four different age ratings.[9]
ALL: Titles rated ALL have content that may be suitable for all ages.
The content of the game offers educational, or cultivating moral character and sentiments for children.
The content of the game has no representation of anti-societal idea, distortion or profanity of religion and public morals that harm children emotionally and physically.
The content and motif of the game have no representation of obscenity, violence, or reproduction of gambling spirit that harms children at all.
12+: Titles rated 12+ have content that may be suitable for ages 12 and older.
The content of the game may have representations of anti-societal idea, distortion or profanity of religion and public morals that would be harmful to children under 12 emotionally and physically.
The content and motif of the game may have representations of obscenity, violence, reproduction of gambling spirit that would be harmful to children under 12 (slight level of sexuality, violence, improper language (expletives), etc.).
15+: Titles rated 15+ have content that may be suitable for ages 15 and older.
The content of the game may have representations of anti-societal idea, distortion or profanity of religion and public morals that would be harmful to children under 15 emotionally and physically.
The content and motif of the game may have representations of obscenity, violence, speculation, etc. that would be harmful to children under 15 (indirect and restricted representation of sexuality, violence, improper language (expletives) and low level of reproduction of gambling spirit (arousing of passion for excessive use of gaming money, or dependence on one's luck).
18+: Titles rated 18+ have content restricted for ages 18 and older.
The content of the game may have representations of anti-societal idea, distortion or profanity of religion and public morals that would be harmful to minors emotionally and physically.
The content and motif of the game may have representations of obscenity, violence, speculation, etc. that would be harmful to minors (direct and concrete graphical representation of sexuality, violence, improper language (expletives), reproduction of gambling spirit (existence of arousing of passion of excessive use of gaming money, or dependence on one's luck, but no real gain or loss of one's asset).[10]
TESTING: Game contents for testing with GRAC's permission before general release.
The game is either being demonstrated, or the rating is pending.
Content descriptors[]
Content descriptors
Icon
Content descriptor
Description
Ratings
Sexuality
Contains references or explicit depictions of sexual behavior, possibly including nudity.[11]
Violence
Contains references or scenes involving aggressive conflict, may contain blood scenes (realistic blood, gore, weapons, and depictions of human injury and death)/PvP or PK.[12]
Fear, Horror, Threatening
Contains references or depictions of horrifying action.[13]
Language
Contains references or explicit depictions of inappropriate language. (sexual, problematic social messages, abusive language, etc.)[14]
Alcohol, Tobacco, Drug
Contains references or images of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and/or illegal drug use.[15]
Crime, Anti-societal
Contains references or images of crime, anti-societal, and/or anti-governmental messages.[16]
Gambling
Contains references to gambling or betting (speculation), and/or simulated gambling.[17]
**The BBFC still exists as a motion picture rating system. Additionally, it continues to rate video games containing pornographic, or having external video material.
Categories:
2005 establishments in South Korea
2013 establishments in South Korea
Censorship in South Korea
Entertainment rating organizations
Government agencies of South Korea
Video game organizations
Video game content ratings systems
Hidden categories:
Articles containing Korean-language text
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