Woochi the Wayfarer director and art director discuss setting, tone, and development in video interview

The newly announced Joseon era fantasy action adventure game.

Publisher Nexon Games and developer LoreVault have released a seven-minute interview video with Woochi the Wayfarer director Kang Dong Yeon and art director Mok Youngmi discussing the newly announced Joseon era fantasy action adventure game.

Here is the full interview transcript:

Introduction
Kang Dong Yeon, Director: “Hello, I’m Kang Dong Yeon, director of Woochi the Wayfarer.
Mok Youngmi, Art Director: “Hi, I’m Mok Youngmi, art director of Woochi the Wayfarer.”
What kind of project is this?

Yeon: “We are LoreVault, a name that means ‘a vault of stories.’ Woochi the Wayfarer is an action-adventure game we’re creating here at LoreVault. It combines a moving, memorable story with a richly imagined Joseon-era setting, and the thrilling battle action of a ‘Dosa(the Mage of the Way).'”
What is the setting of the game?
Youngmi: “Internally, we call it ‘Joseon fantasy.’ We’re building a world based on historical research, blending in imaginative and fantastical elements to enrich the gameplay. You’ll meet characters from Korean myths—‘Dosa’, Dokkaebi, Gumiho, and more from this fusion period drama.”
What does the title mean?
Yeon: “As the title suggests, the hero is Woochi, a legendary ‘Dosa’ well-known among Korean gamers. At its core, the story follows Woochi during his training to become a ‘Dosa.’ The game is built around the adventures he experiences on that journey. We felt it was important for the title to symbolically capture the hero’s identity, story, and goals. After exploring various possibilities to express all these aspects, we decided on the title Woochi the Wayfarer. Since we’re aiming for a global release, we chose an English title to feel more approachable to players worldwide.”
How does this differ from the original Woochi?
Youngmi: “Woochi’s story has many traditional versions, which makes him open to broad interpretation. We want to capture his existing charm, while adding our own vision—creating something distinct from films or TV dramas. We blend traditional Korean looks like gat, hanbok, and dorongi with fantasy elements to create our unique version of Woochi.”
What type of game is this?
Yeon: “The game is a story-driven single-player title with combat. With our story, we aim to leave players with a lasting emotional impact by the time they reach the ending. Of the various storytelling methods, we especially focus on delivering the narrative through striking cinematic direction. Equally important, we aim to deliver thrilling combat scenes in many forms, creating a game that’s just as fun to play.”
Does the game have a dark tone or atmosphere?
Youngmi: “We didn’t set out to make it dark, but the characters and environments shown so far have a heavier tone, which might have given that impression. In reality, the game’s core atmosphere is bright, colorful, and warm. We believe these vibrant colors and inviting tone will clearly distinguish us from other East Asian fantasy titles. To give you a sense of the atmosphere, we’ve prepared a short in-game clip—though the visuals are not yet final.”
Does the magpie wearing a gat actually appear in the game?
Yeon: “Yes, it will. When we saw K-Pop Demon Hunters, we were genuinely surprised—and delighted. We could tell the creators had done a lot of research, and we really related to that. While some motifs may overlap, our game will feature a far more realistic and adorable magpie, as well as a majestic tiger. We can’t share too much without spoiling the story, but the shaman character ‘Myoan’ from our teaser will also appear in the game.”
What did you want to convey through the teaser video?
Youngmi: “Every shot in the teaser was created using actual in-game assets. We aimed to capture scenes exactly as they appear in-game, so the video could convey the real mood and quality of the title. We’re using 3D scanning and MetaHuman-based facial work to create lifelike characters with an immersive presence. By presenting high-quality versions of distinctly Korean elements such as the magpie, the shaman, and the ‘Dosa,’ we wanted to highlight the game’s identity.”
What’s the story behind the magpie wearing a gat?
Youngmi: “In the video, the magpie copies a scholar’s look, wearing a gat it crafted from twigs. I personally find it quite cute.”
When will the game be released?
Yeon: “The video we’ve released this time is an announcement teaser. This teaser is meant not only to showcase our project to players, but also to appeal to fellow developers. While the release date is still undecided, we’ll keep sharing updates as development progresses.”
What are the strengths and challenges of using the Joseon era as the game’s setting?
Youngmi: “One of our big advantages is easy access to reference materials, such as lifestyle, architecture, clothing, and food. We also take inspiration from exploring real Korean landscapes, which has been incredibly helpful. For many on our team, this is their first time working this way, and they’re really enjoying it. The challenge is finding the right balance between accuracy and fantasy. Because the Joseon era was a real period in our history, accuracy and responsibility matter. At the same time, imagination and creativity are key to gameplay. So we’re always discussing what to portray realistically and what to reinterpret. When it comes to mythical creatures from folklore, reference images are often scarce or nonexistent. That makes them tricky to design, but also makes it exciting—we get to bring them to life through our own interpretation.”
Do you have a message for developers interested in this project?
Yeon: “This is a particularly challenging genre to take on in Korea. so we actively seek people with a bold, adventurous mindset. And because we’re making a single-player package game, a dream for many developers, we especially welcome those with a passion for this kind of project.”
How can developers join the project?
Yeon: “If you click the link below this video, you’ll be taken to the Nexon Games careers page. There, you can search for ‘LoreVault’ or ‘Woochi’ in English to find information about open positions.”
Do you have a message for developers interested in this project?
Youngmi: “Being able to capture the beauty of Korea in our game is such a unique advantage, and anyone who joins our studio will find it enjoyable. If you’re interested in or knowledgeable about the Joseon era, we’d be thrilled to have you join us. We’ll continue to share news as we go. Thank you for your interest and support.”