Explained: I played Starcraft on a semi-professional level in Europe. I've played the game consistently for over ten years, probably tens of thousands of games. The game is great NOT because of the developers' skill, but because gamers exploited tricks and glitches in the game which required incredible dexterity and agility to pull off, but if done correctly, would win you the match.

Korean culture, and I would argue Asian culture in general, is fantasy-oriented and very concentrated. Once something comes along that is great, EVERYONE thinks it's great, there's very little opposition to popular culture. As mentioned above, during the financial crisis, students and everyone under eighteen started playing Starcraft. When the big companies started making big money through internet cafe's and televised competitions, the phenomenon took off. Today, Starcraft matches are broadcasted on national television, there are dozens of "boot camps" for people wanting to become pro, and some even die trying to become the best because they don't sleep or eat properly. This is something that could never happen in Europe or USA, simply because of the different heritages we have. Asians have a long history of mixing fantasy and mythology with reality.

Look at Asian martial arts, where people still believe they'll live forever or that they can fly. ALL the most popular movies in Asia are fantasy movies with spellcasting dragons and blue-haired punk wizards. These movies are for adults. Starcraft progamers are treated as national heroes in Korea. Even the elderly know all the Starcraft progamers' names and accomplishments. It's their national sport. It's fiction. It's all very Asian.