Ko Seong-bae’s a rather ambitious figure. This self-proclaimed “otaku-ditor-in-chief has been cultivating an “army of otaku soldiers” with his magazine The Kooh. So far, he's published 8 issues covering topics like ‘solo play,’ ‘obsession,’ ‘wandering’ and ‘production.’ The premise is that “everyone's got an otaku-tistic world of their own.” Ko’s real busy with, obviously, exploring, guiding and advocating, but was kind enough to offer us his expert opinions on the kidult culture that’s on the rise in Korea.
Adulting’s hard. And we all feel it’s too often overrated, especially in a society where perceived age-based hierarchy is hugely emphasized. What happens once you give up looking like an adult and turn your childlike hobby into a full-time career? We met some of Seoul’s prominent “kidults” and heard their stories.
