Overnight Minecraft have become R-rated
If you live in South Korea, you might not be able to play Minecraft Java Edition anymore if you're not 19th years old by Korean age standards
Age in Korea, doesn't work the same as the rest of the world. When you're born, you're considered to be 1 years old and every 1st of January, all it's citizens are considered one year older
So when something have an age limit of 19 years in Korea, it's the same as something having an age limit as 18 years in the rest of the world
Xbox Live
Now that you get how the Korean age system works, you still wondering why Minecraft is rate R in South Korea and that comes down the Microsoft requiring a Microsoft Account to play Minecraft Java editionIn the beginning, it was optional to have a Microsoft account to play Minecraft Java, as a Mojang Account was enough. Microsoft have had some security issue around Minecraft and in December 2020 they started pushing Microsoft Accounts and just recently, a Microsoft Account became mandatory globally
For the rest of the world, it's not a too big issue to have an Microsoft Account, but Korean law have restrictions when kids are allowed to play
In 2011, Korea introduced the "Cinderella Law". Which makes it illegal for kids to play video games after 6pm and games needs to have a system to block users of certain age groups from playing beyond allowed limits. As this can be difficult to do on games not designed around this kind of restrictions, you get situation as with Minecraft where they just outright put the age limit to 19 years
Age limit in other countries
In comparison with other regions, Minecraft is rated Everyone 10+ by ESBR (United States and Canada), 7+ by PEGI (Europe and Israel), 6+ by USK (Germany) and A by CERO (A = Everyone) (Japan)Making South Korea the strictes country on age limit, when it comes to Minecraft
Source: Koreaherald.com