First-Round Ruling Due in Divorce Case Involving Billionaire Smilegate Founder

A Seoul family court is set to deliver its first-instance ruling in the divorce case involving Kwon Hyuk-bin, the founder of game company Smilegate and chairman of the Hope Studio foundation.

The ruling is scheduled for 2 p.m. on the 9th. The case has drawn attention because the assets subject to division are estimated at about 8 trillion won, potentially exceeding the property division in the divorce case involving SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Roh So-young, director of Art Center Nabi.

Kwon’s spouse, identified by the initial Lee, filed the divorce suit in November 2022. She claims Kwon bears responsibility for the breakdown of the marriage and is seeking a divorce. Kwon reportedly maintains that he is not at fault and does not want the divorce.

The specific grounds for fault have not been disclosed. The couple married in 2001, and Kwon founded Smilegate the following year. He later served as chief executive and chairman of Smilegate Holdings, the group’s holding company, and became involved in public-interest foundation work in 2017.