Early Life
Kim Taek-jin was born on March 14, 1967, in Seoul, South Korea. He graduated from Daeil High School in 1985 and then attended Seoul National University, where he earned a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Electrical Engineering. He also studied toward a doctoral degree but dropped out in 1997. During his time at university, Kim developed software for Hangul, the Korean writing system.
Rise to Success
Kim's career began with a strong foundation in software development. In 1989, he co-developed the Hangul word processor. He founded HanmeSoft the same year. He also served in the military at Hyundai Electronics' R&D center in Boston. In 1997, Kim founded NCSoft with an initial capital of KRW 100 million (approximately $72,100 USD). The launch of 'Lineage' in 1998 was a turning point, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon and paving the way for NCSoft's expansion. Kim's leadership has been instrumental in the company's growth, adapting to mobile gaming trends and leading the company's strategic direction, including international market expansions. NCSoft went public in 2003.
Key Business Strategies
Kim's business strategies have focused on innovation and adapting to changing market dynamics. The success of Lineage and its mobile iterations were crucial to the company's early growth, also launching games like Guild Wars. Kim has been focused on expanding into diverse game genres. In 2024, Kim brought in a co-CEO to support business operations and initiated restructuring measures to strengthen NCSoft's position in the market. The company is also focusing on new IPs, which includes the upcoming release of Aion 2 and Horizon Steel Frontiers.
Philanthropy
Kim Taek-jin is involved in philanthropy, with a focus on education and technology access, including donations to organizations like the Korea Foundation.