Nexon is translating its flagship game, MapleStory, into physical play spaces and accelerating social initiatives to advance children’s right to play and support their health.
On April 20, Nexon opened the third Maple Leaf Playground at Seoul Children's Grand Park in the Gwangjin district of Seoul. The project refurbished an aging playground in a large, memory-rich public park, reshaping it into a space driven by children’s voices.
Changseop Kim, Nexon’s domestic director for MapleStory, said, “We wanted to capture children’s voices and imaginations and create a place that gives families lasting, joyful memories.”
He added, “We will continue working with MapleStory players to expand this positive influence to more children.”
The third playground was designed around three core principles: accessibility — so anyone can enjoy it; sufficient and lasting engagement; and, above all, fun.
First, Nexon married ambitious scale with its game IP. On a roughly 750-pyeong site (about 26,700 sq ft, or 0.6 acres), the company installed a 9-meter-tall Pink Bean World play structure and equipped the area with five slides, four swings and five trampolines, among other features. A central “Maple Leaf Rest Area” provides a place for parents to sit and watch, reflecting the project’s family-friendly focus.
Second, the design was firmly user-centered. Nexon solicited and incorporated input from a children’s advisory group called the Maple Leaf Heroes to refine the layout and features. In follow-up surveys, participating children gave the playground an average score of 9.1 out of 10, and the share of respondents who wanted to stay more than an hour was three times higher than for a typical neighborhood playground—concrete evidence of strong satisfaction.
Finally, Nexon secured professional partners to ensure reliable operations. Nexon Space, the company’s space-asset management subsidiary, contributed design expertise, and the Seoul Facilities Corporation will handle day-to-day operations to maintain a safe, comfortable play environment.
Nexon previously opened its first Maple Leaf Playground in Seongnam in December 2024 and the second in Uijeongbu last April. The second site was recognized as an “Excellent Children’s Play Facility” by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, underscoring Nexon’s ability to create meaningful public spaces using a game IP.
