ShiftUp CEO Receives Korea’s Top Award for Stellar Blade and Nikke
- Sagar Mankar
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
ShiftUp CEO and Stellar Blade director Hyung-tae Kim has received South Korea's prestigious Presidential Commendation for his contributions to the country’s video game industry.
The award, hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency, is one of South Korea’s highest honors.
It recognizes individuals who have performed "distinguished service in advancing the nation’s cultural and creative industries." For Kim, the recognition came largely thanks to two standout titles: Stellar Blade and Goddess of Victory: Nikke.
Accepting the award, Kim said, “This Presidential Citation is thanks to the developers and fans who believed in and supported Shift Up. We will continue to do our best to further promote the competitiveness of Korean games on the global stage.” (Via Daum).
It was a fitting tribute to a studio that has reshaped the perception of Korean games worldwide. Stellar Blade, launched in April 2024 as a PlayStation 5 exclusive, quickly sold over a million copies in two months. Its later PC release in June 2025 broke records, selling another million copies in just three days and topping Steam charts with an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating.
Industry veterans also expressed their admiration. Shuhei Yoshida, former Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide president, noted that Stellar Blade has boosted confidence among Korean developers, inspiring them to pursue ambitious console projects.
The game has now surpassed 3 million sales across platforms, making it one of the most successful new IPs in recent years. A sequel is already in development, with a tentative release window before 2027, and rumors suggest a Switch 2 port is also on the horizon.
Meanwhile, Goddess of Victory: Nikke has proven itself a mobile powerhouse. The gacha shooter crossed $1 billion in revenue earlier this year, boosted by crossover events with franchises like Nier Automata, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and even Stellar Blade.
In 2024, ShiftUp’s IPO raised 435 billion won ($320 million) on its first day, the largest gaming stock listing in South Korea in nearly three years and placing Kim among Korea’s 50 wealthiest individuals, according to Forbes.