A year-long board game series wraps up with reflections on interaction, memory, and what it means to fill a space with content that brings people together.
12. Reflections
Writer: Ahn Min-woo, CEO, Augu Games
Editor: Somora, Manager, ONDA
Photo: Yuhwagarang & Studio Sio
Hello, I'm Ahn Min-woo, CEO of Augu Games. Resting my chin on the windowsill and gazing outside, I realize it's already snowing season. How another year has flown by — it's astonishing. 2019 in particular felt like it went by in a flash. And now this board game series has reached its final installment. I hope these columns have been an enjoyable read for you.
As I planned and wrapped up this series, I want to extend my sincere thanks to the editor and photographer who worked on it. This column wasn't just about introducing board games that suit various accommodations and spaces or delivering information — above all, it was an opportunity to reflect on myself. Every time I brought up games I cherish, various memories and incidents came flooding back, vivid as ever. Over a year of writing these pieces, my own space matured alongside the words, and I learned so much. 2019 was a year when I rediscovered how precious passing encounters and memories truly are.
I simply loved people and games, so I threw myself into board game work. Now I've come to see games deeply enough to contribute to a magazine like this. Even as I pursue new ventures, board games remain with me, shaping my thinking. Interaction with others, not just myself — that's the core of board games, isn't it?
So in this series, I tried to illuminate board games as objects that belong in spaces, and to show how those objects can be used to bring together the people who visit those spaces. How was it for you? Did you find the right board game for your accommodation or your own space?
That's actually why I fell so hard for board games. Good content occupies space. If we want to build a space and make people stay in it, it's crucial to fill that space with items that help make it happen. Every space has its own role and meaning, so the space must be designed for that role — and people need to use it accordingly — for it to become a "good space."
Then what kind of thing can spark interesting chemistry between people? Of course, the ultimate goal is for the space itself to create that atmosphere. But realistically, making a space deliver the narrative you want isn't easy. It requires the structure, materials, interior design, lighting, scent, music, and host to all align and emanate that effect.
For example, the role of an accommodation is to help people rest comfortably and sleep well. It also needs to embody the value and meaning of the property so guests have a good time. If board games can help people relax together and deliver joy and leisure, they become an important element in shaping the narrative and atmosphere of that accommodation.
Even if it's not something grand, if you find and place small pieces of content that tap into our instincts, I believe they'll slowly fill the space until an independent narrative takes shape. I found games as the element that triggers "fun," and I ran my shop focused on how to use them to spark chemical reactions among people. Once you give players a game objective and interaction begins, the awkwardness you vaguely felt just vanishes.
This effect becomes even stronger for travelers exploring new places. Games become tools that let them lower their guard, open up, look each other in the face, talk more, and get to know one another. From this perspective, board games are like guests visiting our spaces. Breathing in the same space, seeing each other face-to-face, and talking — that's what deepens bonds in our society.
Thank you for reading this small series.
I hope to see you again with another good opportunity like today.
[Series Index]
2019.01 Introduction
2019.02 Two Players: Abstract Strategy
2019.03 Two Players: Mind Games
2019.04 Two Players: Card Games
2019.05 Special Edition: Big Games
2019.06 Three–Four Players: Placement
2019.07 Three–Four Players: Deduction
2019.08 Three–Four Players: Card Games
2019.09 Multiple Players: Bluffing
2019.10 Multiple Players: Negotiation
2019.11 Multiple Players: Mafia
2019.12 Reflections
