Neowiz
Encyclopedia
Company history
NEOWIZ is an internetInternet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
and online game
Online game
An online game is a game played over some form of computer network. This almost always means the Internet or equivalent technology, but games have always used whatever technology was current: modems before the Internet, and hard wired terminals before modems...
service company in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
founded in 1997. In 1998, NEOWIZ released the world’s first automatic internet access software, One Click, which helped users skip different settings for internet access through dial-ups. One Click software brought 3 million new users who were computer novices to the Internet.
NEOWIZ was founded by former Nexon employees. They launched the first Korean SNS website, SayClub in June 1999. This service grew rapidly to 20 million registered members and 500,000 simultaneous users by 2003. NEOWIZ initiated the concept of online identity by virtual image with personalities so that users could choose their own characters. In 2000, NEOWIZ launched a service called Avatar. After the beta-service, NEOWIZ made Avatar a paid service where users would have to purchase items like cloths and hairdo of their virtual character.
In 2003, NEOWIZ began focusing heavily on online games by launching a casual game
Casual game
A casual game is a video game targeted at or used by a mass audience of casual gamers. Casual games can have any type of gameplay, and fit in any genre. They are typically distinguished by their simple rules and lack of commitment required in contrast to more complex hardcore games...
portal, Pmang. After going through some mergers and acquisitions the company currently owns various game developing studios such as Thingsoft or Pentavision.
NEOWIZ also has its own online music streaming service called JukeOn. Its service started in November 2003 as SayClub’s supplement music service and became an independent music portal in August 2004. JukeOn offers streaming services, MP3 downloads, M/V, music broadcasting, blogging and music search.
In April 2007, NEOWIZ split into 5 different companies, each dealing with a different field: NEOWIZ Games, NEOWIZ Development Studio, NEOWIZ Internet, NEOWIZ Invest and NEOWIZ INS.
Structure
NEOWIZ group has expanded its business area to various areas, including:Neowiz Games
Neowiz Games
Neowiz Games is an online game publisher in South Korea, with its own game portal, Pmang, publishing and servicing 41 diverse games of various genres, from sport to web board games....
– NEOWIZ Games is mostly in charge of publishing games, all of which can be enjoyed at the NEOWIZ game portal, Pmang. It has over 15 million accounts and 41 games available.
Neowiz Development Studio – Dealing with game development, this subsidiary of the NEOWIZ Company is developing new web-based games, in various fields, such as arcade games, RPG, casual games, etc. The most notable accomplishment is its collaboration and co-development with EA for the creation of EA Sports TM FIFA online, NBA Street and Battle Field.
Neowiz Internet – It pioneered the monetization of avatars and still runs the online community Sayclub with 23 million registered users. It also recently started ‘Neoply’, a service that will help those in the new generation of online industry who aspire to start their own business.
Neowiz Invest – It is in charge of national and overseas investments and of inducing profits from them.
Neowiz INS – It directs the NEOWIZ net café business, which comprises online distribution through net cafes.
Executive Management
- Sung-Kyun Na - CEO and Chairman
- Seoul National UniversitySeoul National UniversitySeoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
- Management Science Department of KAISTKAISTKAIST , is located in Daedeok Innopolis, Daejeon, South Korea. KAIST was established by the Korean government in 1971 as the nation's first research oriented science and engineering institution. The QS-The Times World University Rankings in the year of 2009 placed KAIST 69th overall and 21st in...
Graduate School - Founded NEOWIZ
- Seoul National University
- Kwan-Ho Choi - Director
- MBA at Seoul National UniversitySeoul National UniversitySeoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
- Former Cheil Communication, Serom Technology
- MBA at Seoul National University
- Jin-Hwan Park - Director
- MBA at Seoul National UniversitySeoul National UniversitySeoul National University , colloquially known in Korean as Seoul-dae , is a national research university in Seoul, Korea, ranked 24th in the world in publications in an analysis of data from the Science Citation Index, 7th in Asia and 42nd in the world by the 2011 QS World University Rankings...
- Former CEO of Ntixsoft
- MBA at Seoul National University
- Sang-Gyu Yoon
- MBA at Kookmin University
- Current CEO of Neowiz Investment
Other NEOWIZ Services
- SayClub – Social Networking Service
- SayCast – Internet Radio Service
- Pmang - Online Game Service