Crokinole Without Borders: South Korea

Crokinole isn’t just a game; it’s a way to bring people together. From homes and clubs to classrooms around the world, students and teachers are discovering the joy, focus, and teamwork that crokinole inspires.

Grade 4 students from South Korea enjoying a game of crokinole. Photo credit: No Gyeongmin

At Crokinole 101 Blog, we’re proud to highlight how educators are using the game in creative and meaningful ways. This classroom spotlight takes us to South Korea, where one passionate teacher has transformed a simple pastime into something truly special.

No Gyeongmin kindly accepted to take part in the interview. Through this question-and-answer feature, you’ll discover how crokinole is played, how students respond to it, and why it has become such a memorable part of their school experience.

Classroom Spotlight: Gahyeon Elementary School – Class 6

Location: Incheon, South Korea

Grade Level(s): Grade 4 (age 10)

Number of Students Playing: 10–12 students

Teacher: No Gyeongmin

About the Classroom

Q: Can you tell us about your class and how crokinole became part of your school experience? What inspired you to introduce the game, and what makes it special for your students?

First, I think I should explain a little about school classrooms in Korea. In Korean classrooms, board games are generally not played in a very serious or systematic way. Board gaming is still more of a minor hobby in Korea, so even teachers, who usually have the authority to choose and place games in the classroom, are often not very interested in them.

In most classrooms, you will usually find only very basic games such as Halli Galli, Rummikub, UNO, or Tumblin’ Monkeys. However, students have already seen these games in many classrooms, and because these games do not have much depth, they tend to get bored with them fairly quickly and do not play them very often.

I also used to run my classroom with board games in that simple way. But from my second year as an elementary school teacher, I decided that I wanted to bring board games into my classroom in a more serious and thoughtful way. My mindset was, “Let’s give the students the best kind of fun, properly.”

Korea is a country with a very strong passion for education. Students experience a lot of stress from academic competition, especially because of the intense focus on university entrance exams. I wanted my students, at least in elementary school and at least in my own class, to relieve some of that stress through board games.

Every year, I bought around ten new games, and during break times, I personally taught the students the rules of games I thought they would enjoy. From the students’ perspective, there were many games in the classroom that they had never seen before, so throughout the year, they could try different games and spend their free time with friends. Now, in my 14th year as a teacher, I have more than 140–150 board games in my classroom.

Notice the crokinole board and table on the left side of the classroom. Photo credit: No Gyeongmin

Now, let me talk about Crokinole.

One day, I played Crokinole at a board game café I used to visit with my friends. This café is quite famous in Korea, and the owner is truly passionate about board games. Amazingly, he had a Mayday Crokinole board.

When I first saw it, I thought, “Why is this thing so big?” Out of curiosity, I asked him to bring it to our table. At that time, I just thought of it lightly as a kind of flicking game, similar to a Korean-style game where you flick pieces to knock other pieces away.

But then, to my surprise, it was incredibly fun. Every single shot was exciting. I had played board games for a long time, but Crokinole felt like a completely new world, different from the games I had played before.

Then I thought, “What would happen if I brought this incredibly fun game into my classroom?” I also thought, “The rules are very easy, but becoming good at it is really difficult. Isn’t this perfect for children?”

Not long after having that thought, a Tracey Crokinole board was placed in my classroom. I bought two boards, and I think the total cost was around 1,800 Canadian dollars. It became very expensive because of accessories, shipping fees, customs duties, and other costs. It was a very big purchase for me, but I believed that a Crokinole board needed to have low friction and fast-moving discs, so I made a really, really, really big decision and bought them.

The student sitting on the floor is reading the book
CROKINOLE: The Illustrated Guide, which has been translated into Korean.
Photo credit: No Gyeongmin

When I purchased my Tracey board, around that same time, I also bought Michel Cloutier’s Crokinole book, Crokinole: The Illustrated Guide. I had a strong desire to understand Crokinole comprehensively, including its knowledge, strategies, and tactics.

In Korea, it was almost impossible to find proper knowledge about Crokinole, so I turned to books from overseas. For reference, this Crokinole book is the only English book I have ever bought in my entire life. I can only speak Korean. And yet, I read it really, really diligently.

I thought that even if a teacher might not always be better than the students at Crokinole, there would still be many advantages if the teacher knew more and played better.

By carefully reading the book, practicing Crokinole shots, and gaining match experience, I gradually improved. After building a certain level of confidence, I began to understand how I should teach Crokinole to my students.

First Impressions

Q: How did your students react when you first introduced crokinole?

Their reaction was truly explosive.

The children were completely fascinated by this enormous wooden board and the flicking game unfolding on it, something they had never seen before in their lives.

From the students’ perspective, they had never encountered a game like this in any classroom before. The clean beauty of the perfectly round board, the eight pegs standing on it, the smooth lacquered wooden surface, the challenging hole in the center, and the lines dividing the scoring zones must have made the first encounter unforgettable.

For the students, a cheerful wooden magic had begun. Perhaps it was a kind of wooden magic that could last not just for one school year, but for a lifetime.

The great thing is that one game does not take many minutes. It is a thrilling match where discs move quickly and satisfyingly in a short amount of time. The cheerful sound of discs hitting each other, or the sound of a disc hitting the ditch, is more than enough to help students release their stress.

The moments when everyone holds their breath, wondering whether the other player or I will make a disc into the 20-hole, are also one of the game’s greatest charms.

For the students, I think they were deeply attracted to the fact that this was a game they had never seen before, that it was very simple but difficult to master, and that even though each game was short, it made them want to try again immediately after losing.

And this is truly a little sad, but after this school year ends, there is a high chance that they may not encounter Crokinole again. Almost no teachers in Korea keep a Crokinole board in their classrooms. In a way, I think that may make this experience feel even more special to them.

As for me, I can only dream that one day, a student from my class will decide to buy a Crokinole board on their own and begin their own Crokinole journey.

I can say this with certainty: if I had to choose the greatest game in my life as a board gamer, and also in my experience of running a board game classroom as a teacher, I would say Crokinole.

And I believe that for the students in my class who have become fascinated by Crokinole, when they look back on their school days later in life, Crokinole will definitely be one of the games that left an overwhelmingly strong impression on them.

In Korea, I even had a custom Crokinole table made and installed it in my classroom. I have also put a lot of money and effort into various accessories, such as 3D-printed disc trays and other parts.

All of this is possible because my students and I truly love Crokinole.

Oh, and there is one more story from my class that I would like to share.

From time to time, when I see a student whose eyes are shining because they lost at Crokinole or because they want to improve, I say this:

“Do you want to win? Actually, there is a secret. I was able to become a very strong player by reading this book. Would you like to read the book written by my teacher?”

Then the student asks, “You have a teacher too?”

I reply, “Of course. I learned so much from this book.” Then I encourage them to read it seriously, telling them that they will not regret it.

Little by little, while reading the book during morning self-study time, break time, and other small moments, the student begins to grow.

I am truly grateful to Michel for allowing me to translate his book for the students in my classroom and place it there for them to read.

How Crokinole Is Played in Class

Q: What does crokinole look like in your classroom? How often do you play?

Almost always!

Q: When do students play?

Students play during every break time, during lunch time, sometimes after school, and whenever they have free time.

Q: What is the style of play like?

I think many Korean students, including my students, naturally become quite competitive when they play games. However, because they are still children, the conversations that happen during the games are often very innocent and funny. I would describe the atmosphere as fun, competitive, and full of silly comments and playful nonsense.

Crokinole trophies in silver, gold, and bronze. Photo credit: No Gyeongmin

Q: Do you organize tournaments or challenges?

Yes. We have already completed two 1-on-1 tournaments. We also held a separate challenge tournament for making 20-hole shots. Because children can become stressed if they get too absorbed in tournaments, we are currently taking a break and slowly preparing for Season 4.

Q: Do you follow standard rules or adapt them for the classroom?

We usually play either 2-on-2 team games with 6 discs per player, or 1-on-1 games with 8 discs per player. Both formats are used depending on the situation.

Since many students want to play, games are usually played as a single game or a best-of-two format. After that, waiting students rotate in and replace the current players.

Near the Crokinole board, there is a laminated tracking sheet with the students’ names and the number of times they have played. Because it is laminated, we can write on it with a board marker and erase it freely.

We use this sheet to count how many times each student has played. Students who have played many times are expected to give way to students who have played less.

Student Experience

Q: We’d love to hear directly from the students. What do they enjoy most about crokinole?

The following responses come directly from students in the classroom.

• “The best feeling is the excitement of getting a disc into the 20-hole.”
• “I enjoy playing and having fun with my friends, and I also enjoy learning and using new angles.”
• “Playing with my friends and my teacher is the most enjoyable part.”
• “I enjoy 1-on-1 matches with my friends, 1-on-1 matches against my homeroom teacher, and Crokinole tournaments the most.”

Q: What skills do students develop through crokinole?

Student responses:

• “I practice 90-degree angle shots and stretching out my finger properly when shooting.”
• “I practice 90-degree angle shots and shots from other angles. I also learned how to have fun and how to cooperate with my teammate.”
• “I learned good board game spirit, teamwork, and concentration.”
• “I practice angle shots, putting discs into the 20-hole, and also leaving discs close to my side on purpose, which are far away for the opponent, so that the opponent has to waste a turn dealing with them.”

Q: Do students help teach each other?

Student responses:

• “Yes. I have helped my friend before.”
• “Yes. I stopped a teammate when they tried to play even though it was not their turn. I also taught a friend who was new to Crokinole how to play.”
• “During games, I tell my teammate where to place the disc and which direction would be good to shoot.”
• “Yes. During tournaments, we have to stay quiet, but when we play friendly matches, we help each other by giving coaching and advice.”

Q: Any favourite or funny moments from games?

Student responses:

• “Yes. One time, my disc hit several pegs in a row and moved around in different directions, and in the end, it went into the 20-hole. I proudly told my friends about it.”
• “My favourite part is winning against my friends, or finding a good shooting position and direction while enjoying the game together.”
• “The most fun and exciting moments are when I succeed at a difficult shot.”
• “I lost in the 3rd–4th place match of our class tournament, which was disappointing, but that was still the most fun and memorable moment for me.”

Crokinole at School

Q: How does crokinole fit into your school environment?

Is it part of a lesson, club, or free-time activity?

It is part of our free-time activities. Students play during break time, lunch time, free time, after school, and whenever time is available.

Q: How do students first learn the game?

I teach it to them during the first week of March, as their homeroom teacher. The children gather around in a crowd to watch, and I first explain the rules.

I also have the students shoot the discs with their own hands, and while they are shooting, I teach them about posture, technique, and useful tips. I help correct anything they are doing incorrectly.

I also sometimes run a small event called “Beat the Homeroom Teacher.” If a student beats me, I give them an old pair of black and white Crokinole discs as a prize. The students treasure these discs.

During this event, I personally use aggressive tactics and defensive strategies against the students. Then I tell them, “You got caught by this strategy this time, but next time, you should try using it too.”

Q: Does crokinole help build friendships?

Crokinole is a great tool for helping students learn the spirit of team play and form healthy friendships.

However, Crokinole is also a game that students really want to win. Because of that, there are times when they become overly competitive or say negative things to each other. So, I need to step in from time to time and guide them toward good sportsmanship.

If the teacher intervenes appropriately, Crokinole becomes a truly excellent educational tool.

Q: Do students play outside of school?

No. Unfortunately, that is not really possible.

Naturally, there are no Tracey boards outside the classroom, and Korea has almost no real foundation for enjoying Crokinole. If you searched the whole country or visited a very small number of board game cafés, you might find Crokinole somewhere, but it is far from enough.

That is why I often tell my students, “Crokinole is very rare in our country, Korea, so make sure you enjoy it as much as you can this year before you move up to 5th grade.”

Q: Advice for other students?

• “Even if you lose, have the courage to try. Let’s play together!”
• “Practice often and enjoy the game.”
• “Don’t feel discouraged if you lose—there will be many chances.”
• “Practice is the only way to improve.”

There is a student who made a crokinole board using a material called yuto, which is similar to clay. During art class, I asked the students to express something they like, and this student chose to create crokinole. Photo credit: No Gyeongmin

Crokinole in Korea

Q: Is crokinole popular where you live?

Unfortunately, almost no one in Korea knows about Crokinole.

I would love to help Crokinole gradually become more popular here, but it is not easy. In the board game teachers’ group that I attend, I have actively introduced and strongly promoted Crokinole. Because of that, we have held tournaments and now play from time to time.

Some teachers have even purchased boards for their classrooms. Very slowly, but steadily, we are building a stronger foundation for Crokinole here.

Crokinole is a truly wonderful game—more wonderful than I could have imagined. The world that unfolds on that large, round wooden board is filled with all the emotions of life: joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness.

Crokinole has become my number one board game, and in some ways, it has even taught me an attitude toward life.

Conclusion

This classroom story is a powerful reminder that a simple wooden board can create something extraordinary.

In one classroom in South Korea, crokinole has become more than a game; it’s a source of joy, a tool for learning, and a memory students will carry with them long after the school year ends.

As crokinole continues to spread, one classroom, one teacher, one student at a time, it’s stories like this that show its true impact.

Thank you, No Gyeongmin, for sharing your classroom’s story.

Join the Discussion: Have you played crokinole before? Share your experience in the comments below!