HEEMANG STUDIO x HoYoverse: Planting Hope at Hangang Park with Travelers 2026-10-14

On September 13, at Yanghwa Hangang Park in Seoul, the autumn rain that had fallen in the morning left the air clear and the ground moist. When the sun, which had been hidden behind the clouds, came out brightly, the weather turned beautifully clear. Light shone on the faces of the people gathered at the park as well. 

That day, the “Genshin Forest Project,” a social contribution initiative jointly run by HEEMANG STUDIO and HoYoverse Korea, took place. The volunteer event was organized to create a forest that contributes to environmental protection and carbon reduction, in celebration of the 6th anniversary of the launch of the open-world RPG “Genshin Impact.” The volunteer activity was held twice, on September 13 and 20.

HEEMANG STUDIO, as a social contribution platform, has partnered with various game companies to encourage users’ voluntary participation and spread a culture of giving. It has continued a range of social contribution initiatives, including a donation campaign with the MMORPG “Lord Nine” and, most recently, a campaign with the newly launched “Eclipse.”

*FUNding: The collective name for the donation campaigns run by HEEMANG STUDIO. It reflects the idea that anyone can take part in giving in a “fun” way.

The “Genshin Forest Project” is also in line with HEEMANG STUDIO’s social contribution philosophy of collaborating with various game IPs to expand social impact. The Smilegate Newsroom brings you the story of the “Genshin Impact” players who created a small forest in Hangang Park.

Players used to keyboards, today’s gear: shovels and pickaxes!

Seventy people attended the event, including HEEMANG STUDIO staff, “Genshin Impact” players, HoYoverse Korea staff, cosplayers dressed as “Genshin Impact” characters, and Sandbox Network CEO Doti. They shared a single goal: to level the ground and plant trees with their own hands, creating a forest that contributes to carbon reduction.

The volunteers loosened up with light stretches and got ready to start planting. Accustomed to monitors and keyboards in their daily lives, they looked a bit awkward when handed cotton gloves, shovels, and pickaxes, yet their faces were full of excitement.

After a representative of the Korea Environmental Practice Federation, who served as the on-site guide, explained how to plant trees, the participants were divided into teams. Questions came from all around: “What kind of tree is this?” “How do I use the pickaxe?” 

Volunteers picked up shovels and pickaxes to plant trees such as spirea, cornelian cherry, and Japanese apricot. One volunteer with a rather youthful face kept adjusting his posture, as planting trees turned out to be harder than he had expected. As time passed, beads of sweat formed on the volunteers’ foreheads, and as they got the hang of it, their shoveling and pickaxe work became more natural. On one side, people busily sorted the many saplings by type and carried them over, and the mood gradually grew livelier.

As everyone found their rhythm together, the empty spaces of the park were filled with a variety of trees. The saplings are small and fragile now, but over time they will grow taller and spread their branches. With the hope of returning to the park someday and finding a greener forest, the volunteers planted one tree after another. Doti, who hosts game-related broadcasts, lent a hand as well. In between their work, the volunteers took commemorative photos with Doti, the cosplayers, and the voice actors, creating another special memory.

Looking forward to the day today’s small saplings become a forest

By the time the roughly two-hour volunteer event came to a close, the participants’ clothes and shoes were covered in soil, a sign of the enthusiasm of the volunteers who had thrown themselves into planting. Thanks to their dedication, a variety of trees that had not been there in the morning now stood in a corner of the park. As these trees slowly grow, the scenery of the park will change along with them.

Like the “Genshin Forest Project,” which created social value in the form of environmental protection through the voluntary participation of game IP fans and players, HEEMANG STUDIO will continue to work with a variety of partners as a donation platform, creating opportunities for many more people to take part in giving and volunteering with joy.