Vortex Gaming

If you ask someone who has never played Goddess of Victory: Nikke, 'Who is the most famous character?', what would they say? 'Hongryeon' wielding a sword on a battlefield full of gunpowder? Or 'Modernia', loved for her deep narrative and cute design?

Neither. The answer is 'Doro', also known as 'Dororong'.

The initial reactions of users who saw Dororong for the first time are generally similar. 'What kind of creature is that?', 'Why is this character so popular?' I thought the same thing.

But as time passed, many users were drawn to an unknown addiction and were soon 'Dorofied', all shouting 'Doro' together. Not only in Korea, but all over the world. Currently, it has been released as a KakaoTalk emoticon and has appeared in a collaboration video with 'Stellar Blade', and is being actively used in official content.

Like this, Dororong, a suspicious character that made everyone 'Dorofied'. What is its identity, and how did it start and become such a powerful meme?

※ Very mild spoilers related to Nikke and Stellar Blade are included.

#. The original form of Dororong is Dorothy, the main character with a sad story!

This strange creature (?) called 'Doro' or 'Dororong' started from a secondary creation that expressed Nikke's core character 'Dorothy' in SD (Super Deformed) form. Dorothy is a central figure in the main story, a character who left a strong impression with her extreme narrative.

But users, unlike this heavy narrative, turned Dorothy into 'Dororong'. Dorothy gradually diverged into a new creature (?) named Dororong.

Dororong is endlessly bright and cute, which is the opposite of Dorothy's heavy and dark setting. This sense of incongruity may be one of the secrets to Dororong's popularity.

#. The origin of 'Dorofication' is surprisingly not Nikke, but another game!

The character that became the motif for Dororong is Dorothy. So, where did Dororong originate?

Interestingly, the origin of Dororong does not come from within Nikke, but from a completely different game. It is said to have started from an emoji called '댕*콘' that was popular in a domestic game community. You could say it's Dororong's mother (?).

Later, an emoticon series called '뜌땨콘' became popular, and a similar format appeared in the Nikke community, and Dorothy was naturally incorporated into this trend. In the end, Dorothy's unique character, combined with the memes of 댕*콘 and 뜌땨콘, developed among fans, and the character of Dororong as it is now was completed.

#. And what about Dororong now? A 'symbol' representing Nikke that has spread globally

Dororong now has recognition that goes beyond a simple humor character. Dororong's popularity is better overseas than in Korea. In particular, fan content using Dororong is actively created on Chinese Bilibili and blabla, and American Reddit. Some fans even say, 'I don't know Nikke, but I know Dororong'.

#. Active push even from the officials! Dororong is already 'official'

Dororong, which was once considered just a fan's joke, has now become an official character that frequently appears in Nikke's official content. In addition to April Fool's content, various event videos, illustrations, and recently at the 2.5th anniversary event, even a derivative called 'Serorong (Little Mermaid Siren + Dororong)' appeared and is active.

In the developer interview, there was a mention that Dororong is 'careful because it can affect the original character Dorothy'. Looking at the expansion, it seems that they are using and enjoying it more actively than anyone else.

#. Countless Dororongs being mass-produced in reality!

Dororong is appearing in various forms in reality, beyond the in-game. From official merchandise to KakaoTalk emoticons, it has been released. Some merchandise is so popular that it is causing a sell-out.

#. Dororong infiltrated even Stellar Blade, how far will its influence go?

Stellar Blade is a AAA-class action RPG developed by Shift Up, which developed Goddess of Victory: Nikke, and has received much attention for its unique gameplay, attractive characters, and narrative. The two games share a post-apocalyptic world, and also have several things in common in that beautiful female characters are at the forefront.

Recently, a collaboration between the two games was announced, and the Nikke collaboration teaser video released by Stellar Blade a while ago received much praise for its high quality. Nikke's unique combat directing was naturally implemented in Stellar Blade's visual style, and the appearance of 'Hongryeon', which was meticulously depicted at a level that transcends the original, became a big issue among Nikke fans.

But the real topic was the appearance at the end of the video. Yes, it was Dororong. The scene of Dororong, implemented in 3D, moving alive and filling the screen, immediately focused the attention of fans and even made them forget all the impressive scenes throughout the video.

Like this, Dororong already feels like it has been created into something completely new (?) beyond the game Nikke. How far will Dororong go? It is difficult to estimate the end at this point.

웹진 인벤양예찬 기자
2025-05-27