What If the Naver Webtoon Timid Tiger Coco Became a Game? 2025-11-27

Creators Dreaming of Delivering Happiness Through Games

The flower language of the three-leaf clover is "happiness." It reflects the idea that while four-leaf clovers are rare, happiness can be found in the more common three-leaf clover. This sentiment is embedded in the name of a team formed by two creators who wanted to translate the warm emotions of the Naver Webtoon Timid Tiger Coco into a game: Team "Legendary Three-Leaf Clover." Their ambition is simple yet profound: "We want to deliver happiness through games."

From October 24 to 26, Team Legendary Three-Leaf Clover participated in "Beaver Jam with Naver Webtoon" (hereafter 'Beaver Jam'), a pre-event for Beaver Rocks 2025. During the event, the team developed a game based on the webtoon Timid Tiger Coco.

The Smilegate Newsroom met with the team to hear about their experience at Beaver Jam and the story behind their game’s development. The conversation offered a glimpse into the passion and drive of young indie game creators.

Capturing Interaction and Warmth from the Original Work

The team is made up of Yeo Dong-hyun, a game planner, and Kim Se-jin, an illustrator. Over the course of three days and two nights, they created a nurturing simulation game titled Edward’s Three-Leaf Clover using the Naver Webtoon IP. What drew them to the original work?

"The warmth of the original story is its greatest charm," said Yeo Dong-hyun. "It depicts the small trials Coco faces upon entering kindergarten for the first time and the process of overcoming them with friends in such a touching way. It captures childhood experiences we’ve all had. I kept thinking about how this IP could translate into a game.” The moment the Beaver Jam announcement appeared, the decision was immediate. Turning a beloved webtoon into a game felt like an opportunity that could not be missed.

Kim Se-jin was captivated by the original's adorable art style. "I felt that if Coco’s cute visuals were implemented as game characters, it would appeal to the general public as well as fans. At the same time, I wanted to preserve the original’s warm atmosphere while adding interactive elements that allow players to connect with the characters.”

The two chose the character Edward as the protagonist, designing a simulation game where players raise the character. Elements that were left unexplored in the original story were reinterpreted and expanded through gameplay. “In the webtoon, the details of how Edward actually studies were skipped. In the game, we approached those gaps through storytelling, turning them into a more detailed narrative,” Yeo explained.

Gaining Momentum with Future Lab’s Support

Beaver Jam is a grueling race against time where participants must materialize an idea into a playable game within a short window. From building core systems to art, balancing, and flow, a single delay can derail the entire project. Thanks to strong teamwork and clear role division, development progressed smoothly.

The systematic support from Smilegate Future Lab provided further momentum. Future Lab offered an environment where creators could focus entirely on development, and also provided welcome kits stocked with essentials such as toiletries, hoodies, blankets, slippers, and tumblers.

Additionally, experts from Unity Korea, a partner of Beaver Rocks, participated as mentors. They provided technical consulting on complex areas like particle systems and compute shaders, helping the team implement high-difficulty simulation elements more efficiently. “Game jams are a battle against the clock. Fast feedback is essential, and the mentoring helped reduce trial and error so we could stay focused on development,” the team noted.

What Awaits at Beaver Rocks?

On the final day, participants exhibited their games. Following an on-site evaluation, Edward’s Three-Leaf Clover was selected as one of the top 10 outstanding works. Judges and peers praised the game, noting, "It translates the original’s emotions perfectly" and "The balance between nurturing gameplay and healing elements is harmonious."

"I was nervous about the quality we could achieve in such a short time, so I was thrilled to be selected," said Kim Se-jin. “Seeing my work brought to life as a playable game gave me a great sense of accomplishment.”

Beaver Jam is just the beginning. The winning works will be exhibited at the Naver Webtoon Special Pavilion during Beaver Rocks 2025, held from December 5 to 7 at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).

"I hope many people play our game at Beaver Rocks and find it 'healing' or 'warm,'" Yeo Dong-hyun added. "If fans of the webtoon say we kept Coco’s spirit alive, I couldn't ask for more."

The Joy of Being a Creator

Looking back, the creators realized the lesson of the “Three-Leaf Clover.” Yeo Dong-hyun reflected, “Rather than some distant, grand result, the game we made itself was our happiness.” Kim Se-jin agreed, adding, “Creating a game based on a webtoon we love and sharing it with others—that feels like the essence of being a creator. Beaver Jam gave us that opportunity.”

The team plans to further refine the game beyond its prototype stage, improving art assets, balancing, and user experience ahead of the exhibition.

Reflecting on Beaver Jam as a whole, Yeo noted the value of networking with fellow indie developers and presenting the game to a broader audience. The experience also helped build confidence in working with existing IPs and taking on new creative challenges. Kim emphasized the openness of the event, describing it as a rare opportunity to collaborate and connect with creators from diverse backgrounds, regardless of age or experience.

Edward’s Three-Leaf Clover embodies both the warm message of the original work and the sincerity of its creators. It carries the hope that players will discover happiness not in distant luck, but in the small, familiar moments around them.

This Beaver Jam served as a creative laboratory where creators explored new interpretations of popular Naver Webtoon IPs through games. By using webtoons as a starting point, the event expanded how audiences engage with content and blurred the boundary between creation and consumption.

Moving forward, Future Lab aims to evolve as an indie game culture festival that strives to create a better world for future generations. It will continue to expand the foundation of indie game development while supporting young creators and entrepreneurs.