Game Ratings in Korea

This article outlines the requirements and processes for obtaining game ratings for non-mature and mature products in South Korea through the Game Rating and Administration Committee (GRAC).

GRAC ratings are legally required to distribute products in South Korea for any playable builds that are available to the public, including demos and early access builds. To assist with this process, the Epic Games Store has a dedicated team available to help you obtain the necessary ratings for distribution.

To distribute products on the Epic Games Store in South Korea, the following requirements must be met:

• The Korea GRAC and Juvenile Protection Act strongly regulates game content to present legitimate rating marks. Game ratings in Korea are mandatory by law.
• GRAC ratings are required for all playable builds available to the public, including demo, beta, and test builds. However, a GRAC rating is not required during a pre-purchase period that does not include a playable build.
• The process for obtaining GRAC ratings differs between non-mature and mature products and may require different amounts of lead time. To ensure a successful launch, review the Non-Mature and Mature Product sections below to understand the steps and time required for obtaining your rating.
  • Tip: To learn more about the distinction between non-mature and mature products, review the Game Industry Promotion Act (GRAC) guidelines.
• For products distributed on the Epic Games Store, GRAC does not currently support GRAC ratings granted by the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC).

Epic Games has acquired a permit to self-rate non-mature products intended for release on the Epic Games Store. This permit helps streamline the rating process for non-mature products at no cost to partners.

The self-rating process for non-mature products consists of the following:

1. Provide Email Address: As part of the onboarding process for the Epic Games Store publishing tools, you will complete a brief product questionnaire. In the Regions and Ratings section of this questionnaire, indicate that you intend to distribute your product in South Korea and provide your email address.
2. Complete Survey: After your organization completes the onboarding process, the Epic Games Korea team will request additional information about your product by emailing you a link to a survey. The details captured by this survey are used to determine your rating eligibility.
3. Review Survey: The Epic Games Korea team reviews the information provided in your survey. If necessary, you may be asked to provide additional information or resubmit your survey.
4. Register with GRAC: Once the survey information is approved, the Epic Games Korea team registers the product information with the GRAC system to request the non-mature game rating.
5. Receive Rating: When the rating is classified in the GRAC system, the Epic Games Korea team notifies you of the rating via email.
6. Upload Rating: Once you receive the rating result from the Epic Games Korea team, upload the GRAC rating to your product in the Dev Portal. Once uploaded, you must submit your product for review for final approval from the Epic Games Store team.
   • Tip: As ratings are required to distribute products in South Korea, the region is unchecked by default in the Dev Portal. Before submitting your product for review, ensure you select South Korea as a distribution region after uploading your rating.

As best practice, it is strongly recommended that you submit your Independent Rating Classification Survey for non-mature products at least five business days in advance of your target launch date. You will not be able to launch your product in South Korea without obtaining this rating.

Once your rating is classified in the GRAC system, the Epic Games Korea team will email you the result typically within three business days.

For mature products, you must apply directly through the GRAC website to obtain your rating. The application process for mature products is outlined below.

To apply for a mature product classification, follow the steps below. If you need assistance at any time, contact GRAC support. Support is available in English.

1. Learn more about the GRAC rating process.
2. Create an account on the GRAC website.
3. Sign in and apply for your mature product GRAC rating.
4. Once you receive your classification, upload the GRAC rating to your product in the Dev Portal. Once uploaded, you must submit your product for review for final approval from the Epic Games Store team.
   • Tip: As ratings are required to distribute products in South Korea, the region is unchecked by default in the Dev Portal. Before submitting your product for review, ensure you select South Korea as a distribution region after uploading your rating.

Mature products must have a rating in order to launch on the Epic Games Store. The Epic Games Korea team recommends you submit your application to the GRAC system at least six weeks in advance of your target launch date to account for delays from GRAC.

Ratings for mature products are typically provided about four weeks after your application is submitted. However, this timing may vary and could exceed four weeks. The Epic Games Korea team recommends regularly monitoring the status of your application by periodically visiting the GRAC website.

If you have not received a GRAC rating in time for your product’s early store discovery date, you can add a temporary status and upload the official rating once available.

A product's early store discovery date determines when it becomes visible to users on the storefront; it does not control when the product becomes available for purchase. To learn more, review the Dates section of Manage Offers.

To set a temporary GRAC status for your product, complete the following:

1. In the Dev Portal, navigate to Your Product > Epic Games Store > Store Settings.
2. Click Regions and Ratings. Then choose Ratings.
3. From the list on the right, select GRAC - Game Rating and Administration Committee.
4. In the Rating Category section, select Rating Pending. This selection allows you to save the rating without uploading a certificate.
5. Click Save Changes.