MIR HERITAGE is a series that traces the origins of what made WEMADE what it is today.
It revisits the passion, perseverance, and relentless drive behind the making of a single game through the voices of those who lived it. More than a look back at the past, the series explores how those early days continue to shape WEMADE today—and the spirit that still drives it forward.
Our first story begins in the year 2000, inside a small WEMADE studio where just 16 people set out to create what would become <The Legend of Mir 2>.
What Made MIR a Legend
Few people realize that one of China's most influential games traces its origins back to a small Korean game developer. In China, the MMORPG genre we’re all familiar with is called "Chuanqi games" (传奇游戏). This term "Chuanqi" actually originates from the Chinese title of <The Legend of Mir 2>, <Rexue Chuanqi (热血传奇)>. As this game gained explosive popularity, "Chuanqi" has been used as a genre name ever since.
In the early 2000s, as PC bang culture rapidly spread across China, it was harder to find a monitor that wasn'trunning <The Legend of Mir 2> than one that was. Players were no longer just hunting monsters. They fought in PK battles, lost their gear, returned for revenge, formed guilds, and rallied to capture castles. Many of the defining features of Chinese MMORPGs today can be traced back to those early days of <The Legend of Mir 2>.
Remarkably, the game that would go on to redefine China's MMORPG landscape began in a small Korean game studio with just 16 employees.
A Game Studio Where People Came to Work on Rollerblades
Kim Hye-jin was one of WEMADE's earliest team members. Joining the company in 2000, the year it was founded, she was among its first generation of graphic designers. The WEMADE she remembers looked very different from what most people would imagine as a company from that era.
There were only sixteen employees. Everyone knew what everyone else was working on. If someone was away from their desk, everyone noticed. The boundaries between development, planning, art, and business were far less defined than they are today. Some employees even skated around the office on rollerblades or skateboards, moving from desk to desk to exchange ideas and debate new concepts. It might sound like a typical tech startup in Pangyo today, but this was a small office in Bomun-dong, Seoul, back in 2000.
Back then, the word startup was hardly part of everyday vocabulary. Flat organizations and autonomous work cultures were not trends to aspire to—they simply weren't concepts people talked about. It was just a group of people making games, each contributing in their own way.
Park Kwan-ho personally oversaw everything from the client architecture and server design to the overall game planning. He led development hands-on, building and refining the game himself, and remains one of the people most familiar with the original codebase to this day.
At the time, none of it felt extraordinary. They simply assumed this was how games were made. No one thought they were creating a legend—they were just getting ready for the next build.
Crossing into China on a Single CD
<The Legend of Mir 2> entered the Chinese market in 2001. Looking back, the timing could hardly have been better.
At the time, PC bang culture was rapidly spreading across China. Internet connections, however, were neither fast nor reliable. Simply downloading and installing a game was often a challenge. <The Legend of Mir 2> was designed with those limitations in mind.
The entire game fit on a single CD. Installation was quick, and network requirements were minimal. Kim Hye-jin recalls, "Our goal was simple—we had to make it fit on a single CD."
That decision became one of the game's greatest strengths in China. Bringing a single CD into a PC bang was all it took to install the game and start playing. There was little explanation needed. Players could jump straight into the world of <The Legend of Mir 2>
There was another reason behind its success: its distinctly Eastern fantasy setting. At a time when Western fantasy dominated the online gaming landscape, <The Legend of Mir 2> offered something refreshingly different. While online gaming itself was still a new experience for many players in China, its world of martial arts, legends, guilds, and castle sieges felt instantly familiar. That combination drew players into the game almost immediately.
Within just eighteen months of its launch, <The Legend of Mir 2> had captured 68% of China's online gaming market.
"80% of PC bang users were playing the game."
Burgers at 6 PM. The dev lab at 3 AM.
6:00 p.m. The local developers head home, leaving hamburgers behind with a smile.
"Here—have something to eat while you work."
3:00 a.m. By then, the only people left in the studio are the Korean team on assignment.
For WEMADE's developers, spending days—and sometimes nights—at the office was nothing unusual. China, however, was different. When the workday ended, the local developers simply packed up and went home.
"We were the ones on a business trip, yet by nightfall, only the Koreans were still there."
Kim Hye-jin recalls those days with a smile. It was a time when everything was new—learning how to launch a game in China, and learning how to work alongside a very different team.
Interestingly, it didn't take long for the atmosphere to change. As China's game industry expanded and competition intensified, the development offices there also began to stay lit late into the night.
When Game Developers Went from PC Bang to PC Bang with CDs
Today, launching a game means running advertising campaigns, working with influencers, and engaging players through online communities. Back then, it was different.
The players were all in PC bangs. So the developers went there too—with stacks of CDs in hand.
The approach was much simpler. It was about people meeting people. The most effective way to reach players was to meet them in person. Developers visited PC bangs, introduced the game, and asked players if they would give it a try.
But they didn't just hand out CDs and leave. They stayed to watch what people were playing, how they reacted to <The Legend of Mir 2>, and what they had to say about it.
When people met face to face, relationships naturally grew. Today, game studios connect with players through community managers, online forums, and Discord. Back then, the community manager was the person sitting beside you in a PC bang, listening to your stories firsthand. Developers and players were closer than ever.
When Guild Leaders Bought Plane Tickets and PC Bangs Overflowed with Local Delicacies
"Manager Kim is here!"
A player rushed over, placed a headset on Kim Hye-jin, and called out as she arrived at a player gathering held in a PC bang.
It remains one of the memories she recalls most vividly from those days.
A lot changed as WEMADE grew from a small company of just sixteen people into a global game developer. But one thing remained the same, the players. The relationships built by visiting PC bangs with stacks of CDs didn't fade easily.
Wherever people gathered, stories followed. And before long, those stories extended beyond the game itself.
In China, guild leaders even bought plane tickets for their guild members so they could gather from across the country ahead of major castle sieges. Some guilds rented entire PC bangs for days, preparing strategies together before battle.
It's a scene that's hard to imagine today. MMORPGs demanded far more time than they do now. Players planned together, fought together, and grew together. The line between the game and real life was surprisingly thin. It wasn't uncommon for people who met in-game to eventually get married in real life. As those relationships became part of the community, <The Legend of Mir 2> later introduced its own in-game marriage system.
Whenever guild leader gatherings were held, players would bring regional specialties and local delicacies to share.
"Manager Kim, you have to try this."
"It's a specialty from our hometown—you can't leave without tasting it."
Even though WEMADE had already prepared food for the event, players would happily share the dishes they had brought with fellow guild members and the WEMADE team. It reflected not only their affection for <The Legend of Mir>, but also the strong bonds they had built with one another.
Whenever Kim Hye-jin met players in person, she could immediately sense how excited they were. They wanted to talk about everything—from the game itself to their guilds and the stories they had created together.
Of course, the conversations weren't always filled with praise. Players openly shared their suggestions, frustrations, and hopes for the game. Their passion for <The Legend of Mir> meant they always had something they wanted to say. Listening to those voices—and sometimes explaining, sometimes persuading—became an important part of Kim's role.
Looking back, Kim believes it was those conversations and face-to-face encounters that transformed <The Legend of Mir> from simply a game into a true community.
Places where people spend their time leave lasting memories.
For many Chinese players who remember those days, <Rexue Chuanqi> is remembered not simply as a game, but as a part of their youth.
"<Rexue Chuanqi> is a defining memory for those who grew up in the 1970s and 1980s. Students would buy steamed buns from the school shop and spend entire nights playing in PC bangs. They traveled from city to city to trade items in person. Whenever the Sabuk Castle Siege began, guild members gathered from across the country, and some even rented out entire PC bangs to prepare for battle."
So, What Did MIR Leave Behind?
Looking back, <The Legend of Mir 2> left WEMADE with far more than the success of a single game.
It left behind a way of thinking—having the courage to step into markets no one was certain about, learning by embracing unfamiliar environments, and going wherever the players were. That spirit is part of <The Legend of Mir 2>'s legacy, and it remains a benchmark that continues to shape WEMADE today.
That's why we look back on the story of a small development team of just sixteen people. Not simply to celebrate a success from the past, but to rediscover the way of thinking that made it possible.
A Final Message from Kim Hye-jin to the MIR players
This year marks the 25th anniversary of <The Legend of Mir 2> and the 24th anniversary of <The Legend of Mir 3>. A game continuing to be played and loved by so many people for more than two decades is something I never take for granted.
For some, <The Legend of Mir> is a cherished memory from their school days. For others, it represents the years of their youth. For me, it has been a defining part of my career and personal growth as a game developer. Having witnessed MIR's journey from a small development room to where it is today has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.
Everyone on the development team continues to work hard every day to ensure that <The Legend of Mir> remains a game that players can enjoy for its 30th anniversary, its 40th anniversary, and beyond.
To everyone who has been with MIR throughout the years, thank you from the bottom of my heart. We promise to continue this journey with you for many years to come.
