PC bang

PC bang
Korean name
Hangul	PC방, 피시방 or 피씨방
Hanja	PC房, 피시房, 피씨房
Revised Romanization	pisibang or pissibang
McCune–Reischauer	p'isibang or p'issibang

A PC bang (Korean: PC방; literally "PC room") is a type of LAN gaming center in South Korea, where patrons can play multiplayer computer games for an hourly fee. The typical cost for an hour of play ranges from 500 to 1500 won (approximately $0.43 to $1.27 USD), with 1000 won per hour being the most common cost. Although the per capita penetration of computers and broadband internet access is very high in South Korea, PC bangs remain popular as they provide a social meeting place for gamers (especially school-aged gamers) to play together with their peers. The computer hardware used by PC bangs may be more powerful than the systems available in the players' homes. Most PC bangs allow players to eat and drink while they play. Catering to people who stay for long hours, PC rooms are usually equipped with drinks and snacks (that are bought separately). Popular snacks include ramen cup noodles, coffee in cans, and various chips. Players can also order food from local restaurants.

The origin of PC bang starts with 전자 카페 ('junja kappeh', which literally translates to 'electronic cafe') in South Korea opened in March 1988, which was then closed in 1991. The original creators of the junja kappeh, Ahn Sang-Soo and Geum Nu-Ree, launched this electronic cafe next to Hongik University. At the time, people were able to use two 16-bit computers, which were connected by a telephone line. However, it was only known to locals and not widely known, yet.

In April 1994, the first Internet cafe was opened. Jung Min-Ho founded the first public Internet cafe, named BNC, in 서초구 (Seocho District). It gained immense popularity, a first for such type of cafe. From 1988 to 1993, the press had labeled such cafes as "electronic cafe"; however, after the opening of BNC, labels such as "modem cafe", "network cafe", and "cyber cafe" have been introduced by the press.

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