Stellar Blade director receives Presidential Commendation for contributions to South Korean game industry, though he thanks the action RPG’s fans: “We will continue to do our utmost”

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Stellar Blade might not have received much attention at The Game Awards 2024, but its director, Hyung-tae Kim, is now being recognized at a national level. The president of South Korea has acknowledged Kim – who also leads the game’s developer, Shift Up – for his work in the video game industry.

Hyung-tae Kim received a Presidential Commendation on December 10th for his contributions to the growth of the game development industry in Korea. According to reports from Daum (translated by Automaton), the award was presented at the 2025 Korea Content Awards, an event organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

These awards recognize individuals who significantly contribute to South Korean culture nationwide. Shift Up has consistently created popular games worldwide, proving South Korea’s importance to the gaming industry.

Shift Up, the studio behind the popular game Stellar Blade (which has sold over three million copies and was published by Sony), gained international recognition in 2023 with Goddess of Victory: Nikke. Currently, they are developing two new games: a sequel to Stellar Blade and a currently untitled project, known as Project Spirits, planned for release in 2027.

When accepting the award, Kim thanked his team for making his vision a reality. He explained, “This award is really thanks to the developers and fans who believed in and supported our game, Shift Up.” He also promised that they will continue working hard to prove how strong Korean games can be on the world stage.

Stellar Blade might not have won big at The Game Awards 2024, but it’s still receiving recognition. Hyung-tae Kim, the game’s director and head of developer Shift Up, has been honored by the South Korean president for his work in the video game industry.

Hyung-tae Kim received a Presidential Commendation on December 10th for his contributions to the growth of the game development industry in Korea. According to reports from Daum (translated by Automaton), the award was presented at the 2025 Korea Content Awards, an event organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

These awards recognize individuals who significantly contribute to South Korean culture nationwide. Shift Up has consistently created popular games worldwide, showcasing South Korea’s important role in the gaming industry.

Shift Up, the studio behind the popular game Stellar Blade (which has sold over three million copies and was published by Sony), gained international recognition with the 2023 release of Goddess of Victory: Nikke. They are currently working on two new games: a sequel to Stellar Blade and a currently untitled project known as Project Spirits, planned for release in 2027.

When accepting the award, Kim thanked his team for making his vision a reality. He explained, “This award is really thanks to the development team and the fans who believed in and supported us at Shift Up.” He also promised they would keep working hard to demonstrate the quality of Korean games to the world.

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2025-12-15 19:10