Game Rating and Administration Committee


The Game Rating and Administration Committee, formerly the Game Rating Board until December 23, 2013, is a South Korean video game [content rating board]. A governmental organization, the GRAC rates video games to inform customers of the nature of game contents.
Prior to the foundation of GRB, the Korea Media Rating Board rated video games like most other entertainment media. In 2006, the controversies surrounding the arcade gambling game Sea Story, which the Korea Media Rating Board found suitable for all-age, lead to allegations of misconduct. The Korean government responded by creating the GRB in 2006 and making it the only rating organization for rating video games in South Korea.
The GRAC has been criticized as one of the elements of the Internet censorship in South Korea, and has been criticized for being the same as censorship of China. By law, games sold in the country must be rated by GRAC prior to sale; additional regulations stipulate age and real name verification for certain mature-audience titles, as well as regulations on location-based games.
In October 2022, the GRAC's sudden decision to raise the age rating of video games was accused of being an illegitimate policy, leading to an audit of the board suggested by Democratic Party politician.

Age rating symbol

The GRAC currently uses four different age ratings.
RatingDescription
ALL: Titles rated ALL have content that may be suitable for all ages.
  • The content of the game offers educational, or cultivating moral character and sentiments for children.
  • The content of the game has no representation of anti-societal idea, distortion or profanity of religion and public morals that harm children emotionally and physically.
  • The content and motif of the game have no representation of obscenity, violence, or reproduction of gambling spirit that harms children at all.
12+: Titles rated 12+ have content that may be suitable for ages 12 and older.
  • The content of the game may have representations of anti-societal idea, distortion or profanity of religion and public morals that would be harmful to children under 12 emotionally and physically.
  • The content and motif of the game may have representations of obscenity, violence, reproduction of gambling spirit that would be harmful to children under 12.
    • 15+: Titles rated 15+ have content that may be suitable for ages 15 and older.
  • The content of the game may have representations of anti-societal idea, distortion or profanity of religion and public morals that would be harmful to children under 15 emotionally and physically.
  • The content and motif of the game may have representations of obscenity, violence, speculation, etc. that would be harmful to children under 15 and low level of reproduction of gambling spirit.
    • 19+: Titles rated 19+ have content restricted for ages 19 and older.
  • The content of the game may have representations of anti-societal idea, distortion or profanity of religion and public morals that would be harmful to minors emotionally and physically.
  • The content and motif of the game may have representations of obscenity, violence, speculation, etc. that would be harmful to minors, reproduction of gambling spirit.
    • TESTING: Game contents for testing with GRAC's permission before general release.
  • The game is either being demonstrated, or the rating is pending.

    • Former rating

    Content descriptors