Why is StarCraft so famous in Korea?
I play this old classic since a few days and finally finished the Terran campaign yesterday. Now I will play the Zerg campaign and then the Protoss and then start with the Addon Broodwar.

I just want to ask why StarCraft is so special famous in Korea? I know its a really famous game and well I love it also very much. I never had so much fun since I stopped playing with the boring Command & Conquer. But in Korea StarCraft got also its own league! Professional players play StarCraft right in TV and they are better known then football players! Isn´t this great? In my stupid german country E-Sport exists too but the most people hate it because they all think those who play games are going postal in school later. Damned german politicians!

Anyway why it is so extremely popular in Korea? Can somebody tell me what are the reasons?

Question

Why is StarCraft so famous in Korea?
I play this old classic since a few days and finally finished the Terran campaign yesterday. Now I will play the Zerg campaign and then the Protoss and then start with the Addon Broodwar.

I just want to ask why StarCraft is so special famous in Korea? I know its a really famous game and well I love it also very much. I never had so much fun since I stopped playing with the boring Command & Conquer. But in Korea StarCraft got also its own league! Professional players play StarCraft right in TV and they are better known then football players! Isn´t this great? In my stupid german country E-Sport exists too but the most people hate it because they all think those who play games are going postal in school later. Damned german politicians!

Anyway why it is so extremely popular in Korea? Can somebody tell me what are the reasons?

Answer

I think it has something to do with the PC bangs from the very first. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PC_bang

: "PC bangs rose to popularity following the release of the PC game StarCraft in 1998. Although PC bangs are used by all ages and genders, they are most popular with male gamers in their teens and twenties." 

PC bangs are dying out nowadays since almost everyone has his computer at home. Starcraft was the first game we all could have fun playing in the PC bang then. Leanige is so famous as well as Starcraft.

Answer

Not answering your questions though... hehe but just wanna add on...
Diablo and its sequel is also popular in Korea.
In fact, I think our Korean counterparts are pretty good in PVP as well.