PUBG MOBILE Fan Interview Series
PUBG MOBILE operates a program called “User Partners,” who are officially recognized by the PUBG MOBILE team. They serve to help users in the community or communicate with them through social media to make PUBG MOBILE more fun for everyone. Ahead of the recruitment call for the fifth cohort of User Partners, the KRAFTON Blog team met with three User Partners from the fourth cohort who were selected as Outstanding and Excellent User Partners. Let’s hear their stories as fans who eventually became User Partners and even PUBG Partners.
Nice to meet you. Would you mind introducing yourselves to the readers?
Retang: Hi, I’m Retang, and I’ve been a User Partner from the first to fourth cohorts. Now I’m a PUBG Partner.
Kuya Plays PUBG (Kuya): Hello. I started out as a User Partner from the third cohort and became a PUBG Partner after the fourth cohort. I’m currently a YouTuber and TikToker. I’m Kuya Plays PUBG, and I mainly handle user participation content.
Chongjangdungi (Chong): Hi there. I’m Chongjangdungi, and I’m in charge of cuteness in the User Partner team. I’m also on TikTok as a social media User Partner.
What do PUBG MOBILE User Partners do?
Retang: User Partners are messengers and helpers who work to resolve problems that users are facing, gather their opinions and pass them on to the PUBG team. We’re divided into Tips/Information User Partners, Social Media User Partners, and Knowledge iN User Partners, depending on the area we handle. Tips/Information User Partners share their know-how and information with the so-called “PUBG kids” on the official forum. Knowledge iN User Partners provide quick and accurate answers to posted questions. Social Media User Partners deliver various PUBG MOBILE content and communicate with the users.
Kuya: I couldn’t have said it better myself. I think of User Partners as a bridge that connects users and the game. When users face some kind of inconvenience, I believe my role is to lend an ear personally, pass on their concerns and help resolve them.
Chong: I see User Partners are kind of like promoters. Our role is to tell potential users how fun and appealing PUBG MOBILE is and provide them with tips on how they can enjoy the game even more.
Tell us about your first impressions of PUBG MOBILE as a video game.
Retang: It was very revolutionary. I was surprised that this kind of game could be released on mobile, even though I’ve always enjoyed mobile gaming. I remember vividly feeling the high degree of freedom and the fact that there are almost no other games like it on the market.
Kuya: I used to play the PC version of PUBG before. I was taken aback to hear that it was going to be released on mobile because I didn’t expect a game that was a PC exclusive to run on mobile platforms.
Chong: I was first introduced to the game by a friend. I remember struggling a lot because I was unfamiliar with the controls to begin with. (Laughs)
What do you think is the game’s biggest appeal?
Retang: The high degree of freedom, to sum it up in one word. The fact that I can throw grenades and use a variety of guns in the game and that all of this is possible on a mobile platform. I think that really appeals to me.
Kuya: I think it’s the fact that I can have fun with my friends anywhere, anytime. Because it’s a mobile game, I can easily play it while talking to my friends, as long as I have a smartphone. I love that we can make our own memories.
Chong: For me, the greatest appeal to PUBG MOBILE is that people can befriend each other very quickly. I love the excitement of communicating and winning the game by forming a solid squad with people I’ve never met before.
Do you remember why you became a fan of PUBG MOBILE?
Retang: I fell in love with the game as I enjoyed playing it. I rarely felt that way about other games. But it didn’t take long for me to fall in love with PUBG MOBILE. I also liked the wide variety of costumes. As I could try any outfit and any playing style I wanted, I found myself naturally becoming a fan after a while.
Kuya: I basically feel the same way as Retang. I was having fun with the game and suddenly realized I was a fan one day. These days, it almost feels like the day isn’t really over until I’ve played PUBG.
Chong: Me too. I never had a hobby before, but PUBG MOBILE makes me laugh and feel less stressed, so at some point, I genuinely started to enjoy the game and become a fan.
Are you good at PUBG MOBILE?
Retang: Honestly, I’m not sure about that. I think I’m not bad at using sniper rifles though. I can even make super long-range shots from about 400m. Come to think of it, I’m actually quite a good shot. (Laughs)
Kuya: I like sniper rifles, but I usually prefer to use my own custom gun that has my kill log. I practice in the training grounds a lot, hoping that people will see and recognize me when the kill log comes on the screen. So, I think I’m at a decent standard when it comes to the M416. Unfortunately, that’s not enough to stop viewers from criticizing me. (Laughs)
Chong: Nope, I’m not very good. I’ve been playing for about three or four years, but I’m still a noob. I’m only good at teamkilling. (Laughs)
Do you remember your first kill or first chicken dinner?
Kuya: I think my first kill was a bot. At first, I killed him, thinking he was a human player, but then I realized it was a bot after several months. My first chicken dinner was on Sanhok. I used the QBZ to get about ten kills. I was low-tier at the time, so I imagine they were all bots, too. Then I later got my first chicken dinner for real.
Chong: I started the game with a friend who’s good at the game. My friend landed in the Sanhook bootcamp and took care of everyone there. So, I got the chicken without doing much. But I did get lucky with one kill. I still remember how I felt. It was such a thrill.
Do you have a favorite map, mode, or collaboration?
Retang: I think I found the Evangelion collaboration the most memorable. Not only is Neon Genesis Evangelion such a famous series, but I’m also a huge fan of it. I remember feeling so emotional that my favorite anime and my favorite game were doing a collaboration.
Kuya: I remember two modes in particular: the Gozilla mode and the Spider-Man mode. The Godzilla mode had items spawning in the spots that Godzilla walked through, which gave another player superhuman speed and jumping power. I thought they were hacking, so I reported them, but then I found out that it was a themed mode. That was a little awkward. (Laughs)
Chong: In terms of maps, my favorite is Livik, which has the shortest playtime. Among collaborations, my favorite was the Spider-Man mode. It’s probably because I’m a diehard Spider-Man fan. I loved that I could shoot spiderwebs and climb onto building roofs in the game.
Do you often play with your fans? Are there any memorable anecdotes from playing the game?
Kuya: Since I’ve been streaming a lot recently, I usually play in a custom server with many viewers and fans. There’s much interest, to the point that a 100-player server fills up in a matter of seconds. They all crowd around me, and I can’t move an inch in the lobby until we board the plane. I usually spend the time talking to them until we board. I sometimes feel like I’ve become a celebrity. (Laughs)
Do you have any ideas for improvements to help the fans enjoy PUBG MOBILE even more?
Retang: I would like more moderation in the in-game chat. It’s a very popular game among younger players, but I still see a lot of inappropriate chats in the game.
Kuya: I want the Taego map to be playable in PUBG MOBILE as well.
Chong: I think we’d all enjoy the PUBG MOBILE life even more if the remaining bugs are resolved, even though things have gotten much better!
We’ll start recruiting the fifth cohort on February 1. So what made you interested and want to apply to become a PUBG MOBILE User Partner?
Retang: I was active on the official forum before the first cohort was recruited. After seeing the recruitment ad, I applied for the position because it was an excellent opportunity to communicate with more users.
Kuya: I applied because I wanted to communicate with more fans. My goal was to reach out to more people instead of stagnating in one place. At the same time, I wanted to promote myself to a broader audience and use it as an opportunity for growth.
Chong: I was inspired by watching the other User Partners. Then I gained some confidence in my video production skills when I won first place for my Zero Two event video. Having said that, I think my biggest motivation was wanting to show as many people as possible what a fun game PUBG MOBILE is.
What was your most memorable activity as a User Partner?
Retang: I’m not sure there’s a particularly memorable activity since I handle Knowledge iN questions, which means that I’ve been doing essentially the same thing from the first to fourth cohorts. I set up notifications on the Q&A board in the official forum and reply to questions that are posted on the forum as quickly as I can. Sometimes, I feel like I’m a little competitive with the other Knowledge iN User Partners about things like who posts a higher quality answer more quickly. But I think it’s helped me to provide better answers.
Kuya: I’m a Social Media User Partner, so I remember the video with the most views. There was one video that reached 3.5 million views. It was released in Korea and overseas at the same time, and users posted as many as two to three thousand comments. It really was funny, even if I say so myself. (Laughs)
Chong: I think mine is my most-viewed video, too. You know how some random strangers keep their mics switched off? I said to someone like that their voice must sound amazing because they seem to be keeping it to themselves by keeping the mic turned off. I was trying to make light of the silence, but the viewers found it hilarious.
What are some attributes that are important in being User Partners? What kind of people would you recommend the User Partner position to?
Kuya: I think having good character is important. Instead of reacting to everything emotionally, it’s crucial to respond to people as humbly as possible.
Retang: I agree entirely with Kuya. Character is number one, two, and three in terms of importance.
Chong: I’d recommend it to anyone who loves and enjoys PUBG MOBILE.
What are your personal goals for the future?
Retang: I’ve already achieved a personal goal since I was selected as a PUBG Partner as the reward for being an Outstanding User Partner. I’m the first Knowledge iN User Partner to be selected, so I was really touched, and I’d like to set an even higher goal for the future. I’d like to be a good role model for the other User Partners who are active on the official forum.
Kuya: Firstly, I’d like to keep communicating with countless viewers as a YouTuber and TikToker, like I’m doing now. In the future, I’d like to sit side by side with commentator Park Dong-jin. Now that I’m a PUBG Partner, maybe I’m a little closer to that goal. After that, I’d like to go beyond Korea and reach out to Japanese and other overseas users.
Chong: My goal is to keep serving as a User Partner. I haven’t set any specific plans, so I’d like to continue doing my job smoothly and consistently.
