Woochi: The Wayfarer – A New Korean Folklore-Inspired Action RPG

August 13, 2025

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A new trailer for an upcoming action-adventure game looks like it could be tapping into the same vein as Black Myth: Wukong, this time incorporating Korean folklore in its story. Whether it will feature soulslike combat elements hasn’t yet been confirmed, but based on the teaser, it seems like a real possibility.

Nexon Games and developers at LoreVault introduce Woochi: The Wayfarer, set in the Joseon era, “one of the most dramatic periods in Korean history.” The game is an open-world action-adventure RPG with a compelling teaser trailer featuring incredible graphics and art design, and if it ends up being anything like Wukong, players have a lot to be excited about.

Woochi: The Wayfarer Looks Like A Soulslike Focused On Korean Folklore

Woochi Isn’t Officially A Soulslike, But It Looks Like One

There’s been a wave of incredible soulslikes over the past few years, including Black Myth: Wukong, Elden Ring Nightreign, and most recently, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers. It isn’t clear whether Woochi will officially be considered a soulslike or not, but the presentation of the trailer is strikingly similar to other games that feature soulslike elements.

Like Black Myth: Wukong, Woochi is focused on East Asian folklore and literature. Wukong dives deep into a remix of the classic novel Journey to the West, while Woochi will explore The Tale of Chon Uch’i, a Korean novel based on a real-life Taoist scholar who lived during the Joseon period and possessed magical powers.

The art style and narrative-driven aspect of Woochi offer similar points of appeal to Black Myth: Wukong, although just how closely Woochi attempts to repeat Wukong‘s success in the genre remains to be seen.

Woochi Could Give Black Myth: Wukong A Run For Its Money

It Will Depend On Gameplay, But Woochi Looks Very Promising

Woochi cover image from Woochi: The Wayfarer trailer

So far, not very many action-adventure games have had quite the level of success as Black Myth: Wukong. Despite its flaws, it turned out to be a breakout in the genre for a number of reasons that might be impossible to emulate perfectly. The timing of its release and the lack of strong global competitors tapping into the same sort of lore were a strong setup for success, and the massive Chinese market created a huge player base that ultimately translated to Western sales as well.

Woochi: The Wanderer looks incredibly promising, but it’s up for debate whether Black Myth: Wukong ‘s success will help or hurt it. Wukong sets a high bar for East Asian soulslikes, and even the compelling Wuchang: Fallen Feathers hasn’t managed to attract the same hype overall. Ultimately, it’s hard to say whether games like Woochi will ever be able to escape Wukong’s shadow, or if players are ready for new and improved versions of it.

There’s definitely a massive interest in epic tales from East Asian countries, but Woochi‘s gameplay will need to be incredibly compelling as well for it to reach the same heights as Black Myth: Wukong.