Stellar Blade director Kim Hyung-tae has received official recognition from South Korea’s president, marking a major milestone not just for the developer, but for the country’s growing presence in the global games industry.

The Shift Up founder and creative director was honoured for his contributions to South Korean culture and entertainment, following Stellar Blade’s international success on PlayStation 5. While government recognition of film and television creators is common, it’s still relatively rare for game developers to receive this level of acknowledgment making the moment especially significant.

Stellar Blade launched earlier this year to strong sales and widespread attention, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about Korean-developed console games to date. The action title was praised for its technical polish, striking art direction, and confident combat design, helping it break through in markets traditionally dominated by Japanese and Western studios.

In statements surrounding the recognition, Kim Hyung-tae emphasized that the Honor reflected the efforts of the entire development team rather than an individual achievement. He also reiterated his long-standing goal of elevating Korean game development to stand alongside the world’s biggest studios, not just commercially but creatively.

The recognition arrives at a pivotal time for South Korea’s games industry. Long known for its dominance in online, mobile, and esports-focused titles, the country has increasingly pushed into high-budget, narrative-driven console development in recent years. Stellar Blade is widely viewed as a breakthrough moment in that transition.

With Shift Up already working on future projects and Stellar Blade continuing to draw global attention, the presidential acknowledgment signals something larger than a single award. It’s a sign that games are finally being recognized at the highest levels as a cultural export and that South Korean developers are no longer knocking on the door of the global AAA space, but standing firmly inside it.