[Edaily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah ] Byung Gyu Jang KRAFTON(259960), Chairman of the Board, told young people dreaming of starting their own businesses, “Possibility begins when you step out of your comfort zone.” Drawing on his own experiences—from giving up math to dive into software development, to entering the global gaming market, and his recent venture into a new artificial intelligence (AI) business—he emphasized the courage to choose a new path.

Chairman Jang delivered a keynote speech titled “Expansion into the Infinite” at the “2026 Chung Ju-yung Startup Competition” Demo Day held at COEX in Seoul on the 28th. Organized by the Asan Nanum Foundation, this year marks the 15th edition of the competition. Inspired by a quote from Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung—“Human potential is infinite”—this year’s theme was set as “Infinite.”

Chairman Jang’s connection with the Asan Nanum Foundation dates back to 2016. He mentored early-stage entrepreneurs through the foundation’s startup support platform, Maru180, and in 2018, he delivered a lecture titled “The Fourth Industrial Revolution and College Life” at a regional briefing session for the Chung Ju-yung Startup Competition. In 2021, on the foundation’s 10th anniversary, he sent a congratulatory message to express his support for its efforts to foster the startup ecosystem. This long-standing connection—spanning his work with entrepreneurs and startup support organizations—led to his keynote address at this year’s competition.

In his speech, Chairman Jang reflected on the choices that changed his life. Although he devoted himself to studying mathematics in college, he felt he had reached his limits and chose a different path; he then laid the foundation for his growth by immersing himself in club activities and software development. He cited “giving up” as a choice that opens up new possibilities. This means that continuing down a single path is not the only answer, and that new opportunities can be found in the process of choosing a different path.

Co-founding NEOWIZ and subsequently branching out on his own were also significant turning points. He explained that the joy of creating something together with colleagues served as a driving force for his growth, and that his decision to leave the company where he had worked for about 10 years was also a choice made to break free from a familiar environment and seek new possibilities.

His experience venturing into the global market laid the groundwork for his subsequent business endeavors. Chairman Jang stated that the trial and error and market insights gained during the North American launch of the online game “TERA” helped him assess the potential of “PUBG: Battlegrounds.” He also emphasized the importance of respecting creators’ originality and fostering an attitude that preserves and builds upon it.

KRAFTON’s business expansion follows the same logic. Building on the technology and experience accumulated in the gaming industry, the company is venturing into new AI fields, including physical AI. The goal is to seek growth opportunities in new markets rather than resting on the laurels of its existing business successes.

Chairman Jang said, “I, too, am striving to step outside my comfort zone to open up even more possibilities,” adding, “I hope that all participants will also broaden their own horizons through this competition.”