SHIFT UP CEO Hyung-Tae Kim Receives Presidential Citation at 2025 Korea Content Awards

SHIFT UP has announced that its CEO and founder Hyung-Tae Kim has received a Presidential Citation for Merit in the Development of the Game Industry at the 2025 Korea Content Awards, held on December 10 at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul. The Korea Content Awards are the country’s most authoritative content industry honors, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA).

Importantly, a Presidential Citation is a state-level commendation awarded in the name of the President of the Republic of Korea, representing one of the highest civilian honors granted by the South Korean government. While administered through cultural agencies, the recognition signifies national acknowledgment of an individual’s contribution to Korea’s cultural and industrial development, placing it above ministerial and institutional awards.

The citation recognizes Kim’s long-standing contributions to Korean game development and his role in steadily strengthening the global competitiveness of Korean game intellectual property following the establishment of SHIFT UP. His leadership has helped elevate Korean-developed titles across both mobile and console markets, positioning them as internationally competitive IPs.

One such title is Goddess of Victory: NIKKE, which became a global commercial success and played a significant role in expanding the reach of high-production-value subculture games worldwide. In 2023, the title received a Minister’s Commendation at the Korea Content Awards for its overseas expansion.

Kim also served as general director for Stellar Blade, a Korean-developed console title that achieved strong commercial and technical results and demonstrated the global potential of South Korean console game development. While the game drew criticism in parts of the Western media for its stylistic direction, its domestic recognition emphasizes that its significance extends well beyond surface-level discourse, reflecting its technical execution, artistic cohesion, and broader industry impact.

This recognition marks another major milestone for South Korean developers following the success of Stellar Blade, reinforcing the country’s growing presence in premium global game development. Beyond individual titles, the award highlights the broader cultural and industrial value of Korean games, serving as inspiration for emerging studios and creators within the country.

In his remarks, Kim stated that the honor belonged to the development teams and fans who believed in SHIFT UP, adding that the company would continue its efforts to showcase the competitiveness of Korean games on the world stage.

SHIFT UP is currently preparing multiple global projects, including a sequel to Stellar Blade and a new IP titled Project Spirit, which has entered a publishing agreement with Tencent.