Visitors can experience the Land of the Morning Light’s Black Shrine, receive a Traveler Edition and compete for a limited-edition Black Desert plush.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — September 8, 2026 — Pearl Abyss is bringing its MMORPG Black Desert to the Korean Festival at the Grote Kerk in The Hague on Friday, September 11. Visitors will be able to experience the game’s combat and Korean-inspired fantasy setting through an interactive booth.
Black Desert Offers a Korean Folklore-Inspired Challenge
At the Black Desert booth, visitors can take on the Land of the Morning Light Black Shrine, a combat-focused challenge featuring bosses inspired by Korean folklore.
The booth will include five gaming stations equipped with 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G60SD gaming monitors. Visitors can use the stations to enter the world of Black Desert and test their combat skills.
Everyone who visits the booth will receive a Traveler Edition, valued at €10. Visitors who successfully complete the Black Shrine challenge will also receive a special-edition Black Desert plush.
Battling Folklore-Inspired Bosses
The Black Shrine, also known as Boss Blitz, challenges players to learn the distinctive attack patterns and characteristics of individual bosses.
The original lineup includes Gumiho, the fox spirit; the Bamboo Legion; Changui; Mudang Wraith; Songakshi; the Golden Pig King; Duoksini, the king of the Dokkebi; and Sangoon, the tiger king.
Players must adapt their combat strategies to each opponent, making pattern recognition and timing important parts of the challenge.
Land of the Morning Light Brings Korean Stories to Black Desert
Developed by Pearl Abyss, Black Desert combines action-oriented combat with exploration and a broad life-skills system.
Players can travel through a large fantasy world, customize their characters, explore cities and wilderness areas, sail across oceans, participate in battles and pursue activities including fishing, trading, alchemy and housing.
The Land of the Morning Light region draws extensively from Korean history, folklore, architecture and traditional storytelling. Instead of focusing exclusively on conventional monster-hunting areas, the region presents stories and boss encounters based on Korean cultural traditions.
The region has continued to expand, including the addition of Seoul, the capital of the Land of the Morning Light.
For players unable to attend the festival, Black Desert has also introduced Hyper Boost content designed to help players progress more quickly and catch up with other players.
Korean Festival Combines Tradition and Modern Culture
The Korean Festival, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, will take place September 11 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk, commonly known as the Grote Kerk, in central The Hague.
Admission is free, and the event is open to the public.
The festival marks the first large-scale edition of the Korean Festival in The Hague following Korean cultural events previously held in Amsterdam. Its program combines traditional Korean culture with contemporary entertainment, food, technology and lifestyle.
K-Pop, Taekwondo, Food and Cultural Activities
Visitors can attend K-pop dance performances, Taekwondo demonstrations by Kukkiwon, Korean classical music and jazz performances, as well as the final of the Korean Cooking Competition.
A Korean food market will feature dishes, snacks and desserts, while workshops will offer opportunities to explore Korean calligraphy, tea and traditional games.
The festival will also feature interactive exhibitions and Korea-themed photo zones. Participating companies and brands will showcase developments and products connected to modern Korean food, technology and lifestyle.
Black Desert Joins The Hague’s Korean Cultural Showcase
By bringing Black Desert to the festival, Pearl Abyss is highlighting the game’s use of Korean folklore and storytelling within a modern MMORPG.
The Black Shrine challenge and Land of the Morning Light content give festival visitors an interactive way to experience elements of Korean-inspired fantasy while exploring the wider cultural program taking place in The Hague.
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