NC

From September 5th to 10th, PUZZUP WEEK was held by NC at Changwon NC Park. This year, various events and content were prepared for visitors to experience the world of PUZZUP AMITOI (hereafter PUZZUP), which simultaneously launched in 35 global regions on September 26th. In particular, September 9th was the day when the main event took place, featuring an epic matchup between the NC Dinos and Lotte Giants, known as the “Nakdong River Derby.” On this day, various interactive events, including a special encounter with “Helpie,” the representative character of PUZZUP, were enjoyed by the attendees.

This article will cover the key moments by relaying the highlights of the main event day during PUZZUP WEEK on September 9th.

The first to greet the visitors entering Changwon NC Park was Helpie, the adorable mascot of PUZZUP. The large Helpie balloon, measuring 6m in height and 5m in width, captivated the attention of the attendees with its size and immense cuteness.

Also, Helpie provided a bright energy around the stadium, making frequent appearances and gaining popularity among the attendees. Friends, couples, and families enjoyed photo sessions with the Helpie mascot, adding a delightful atmosphere to the already enthusiastic crowd before the game. Furthermore, three oversized balloons, fashioned in the likeness of PUZZUP’s distinctive tile shapes, were installed on the outfield grass berm seating to welcome all attendees. The spectators entered the stadium filled with excitement and anticipation through unexpected encounters with PUZZUP.

Another fun element prepared by PUZZUP WEEK was the mini-games experience. Passing by the giant Helpie balloon, three mini-games awaited spectators. They consisted of the Green Puzzle Zone (Personal Bat Baseball), Yellow Puzzle Zone (Any Direction Chess), and Red Puzzle Zone (Dice Puzzle Together). Completing each mission in these mini-games earned visitors exchange vouchers that could be used at the main booth for PUZZUP merchandise. Items including eco-bags, blankets, baseballs, grip talks, keychains, and stickers were small additions that enabled spectators to experience PUZZUP. Specifically, attendees actively engaged in energetic mini-games, where they batted tile balls, tossed tile dice, and took the role of human chess pieces, seamlessly immersing themselves in the world of PUZZUP. Also, during the event, visitors who verified their pre-registration for PUZZUP received a donut from “Knotted.”

Moreover, the event featured photo zones and booths that meticulously recreated the PUZZUP universe to provide a closer experience of PUZZUP. Many visitors entered the large blue booth, where the world of PUZZUP was recreated with direction keys, and took photos. Inside the photo booths located within the stadium, visitors also took pictures with customized frames of the PUZZUP universe, creating lasting memories.

One of the highlights that made PUZZUP WEEK special was the collaboration event between NC Dinos and PUZZUP. During PUZZUP WEEK, the team store, a highly frequented destination for visitors, was filled with collaborative products, showcasing their unique charm and capturing the attention of visitors.

The most popular item was the special uniform created in collaboration between PUZZUP and NC Dinos. The special yellow uniform, which perfectly matched with adorable Helpie, set a record by selling out in just three minutes after the team store opened. Besides the special uniform and baseballs, various special merchandise, including phone grips, keychains, eco-bags, stickers, and blankets, commonly used in daily life, were also available for sale. The collaborative merchandise from NC Dinos and PUZZUP received tremendous love from people of all ages and sold out within 20 minutes.

The visitors at Changwon NC Park had the opportunity to experience the world of PUZZUP from the stadium’s entrance to the conclusion of the game. During the doubleheader game between NC Dinos and Lotte Giants held at Changwon NC Park on that day, PUZZUP special tickets and three types of Helpie hairpins were distributed for free.

Additionally, three hand fans featuring a PUZZUP tile and the word “Jjeom” design (translated as “C’mon”) were randomly distributed. Through this, spectators could participate in the match-3 event, which took place twice during the innings. The event utilized match-3 elements, which are the basic rule of PUZZUP, and rewarded gifts to three people in the stadium who held the same tile hand fans in a row.

Collaborative photos of NC Dinos players and PUZZUP greeted spectators on the main gate wall, while the stadium resonated with the soundtrack of PUZZUP. PUZZUP was present everywhere, from the dugout to banners, ensuring that spectators’ attention remained fixed on PUZZUP. During the opponent’s offensive inning, “Helpie’s Jjeom!” was displayed on the scoreboard instead of “Jjeom!” by player Lee Yong-chan.

NC Dinos players also wore the special uniform created in collaboration with PUZZUP and participated in the game, sharing joyful moments with the fans. Astonishingly, during PUZZUP WEEK, NC Dinos achieved a record of 6 wins and 1 loss, including an exciting comeback victory with the victory fairy Helpie. Also, in the second game of the doubleheader, player Son Ah-seop set a record for consecutive 150 hits in  8 consecutive seasons, first time in KBO League history, and all 17,861 tickets were sold, marking a significant sold-out record after 4 years and 5 months.

PUZZUP WEEK seamlessly integrated the world of PUZZUP into Changwon NC Park and provided an opportunity to naturally introduce an unfamiliar game that had not been released at the time of the event. In particular, it offered fans a different kind of enjoyment through various merchandise and events that everyone could easily participate in and enjoy. Through PUZZUP WEEK, NC once again demonstrated that Changwon NC Park is not only a playful community space but also a place to experience the joy of togetherness. It also proved that, as the parent company of NC Dinos, it can organically connect games and baseball, creating a single enjoyable culture. After experiencing the vibrant atmosphere of PUZZUP and witnessing the lively spirit of spectators filling Changwon NC Park, we look forward to the exciting collaborations that NC will present in the future.