| PC bang | |
|---|---|
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | PC방, 피시방 or 피씨방[1] |
| Hanja | PC房, 피시房, 피씨房 |
| Revised Romanization | pisibang or pissibang |
| McCune–Reischauer | p'isibang or p'issibang |
A PC bang (Korean: PC방; literally "PC room") is a type of LAN gaming center, where patrons can play multiplayer computer games for a small hourly fee. The typical cost for an hour of play ranges from 500 to 1500 won (approximately $0.44 to $1.32 USD.), but 1000 won per hour is the most common cost in PC bang. Although the per capita penetration of computers and broadband internet access is very high in South Korea, PC bangs remain popular as they provide a social meeting place for gamers (especially school-aged gamers) to play together with their peers. Furthermore, the computer hardware used by PC bangs may be more powerful than the systems available in the players' homes. Most PC bangs allow players to eat, drink and smoke (often with separate smoking and non-smoking sections) while they play. It is common for PC bangs to sell ramen noodles, canned coffee, soft drinks, and other snacks.
PC bangs rose to popularity following the release of the PC game StarCraft in 1998. Although PC bangs are used by all ages and genders, they are most popular with male gamers in their teens and twenties.[2]
Many popular Korean multiplayer games provide players with incentives which encourage them to play from a PC bang. For example, the Nexon games Kart Rider and BnB reward players with bonus "Lucci" — the games' virtual currencies — when they log on from a PC bang.