in recent years, dozens of adults have been running nightly in parks and playgrounds across urban centers in South Korea. their activity is none other than the nostalgic game of cops and robbers, known as kyungdo for short. once the preserve of elementary school playgrounds, the game has exploded in popularity among adults in the second half of 2025, thanks to a cultural code unique to Generation MZ: relieving digital fatigue and forging loose connections based on anonymity.

in this report, we'll start with the exact definition and rules of long-distance play, then analyze in detail why it's making a comeback now through community platforms like Carrot, and how influencers like Lee Young-ji and PD Na Young-seok have influenced the trend. We'll also take a sociological look at what this phenomenon means as more than just a fad, but a new way of communicating in modern society.

definition and historical background of playing hardball

the word gyeonggi-do is an abbreviation of the initial letters of police and thief, and is a childhood favorite of the generation born around 1990. in the Encyclopedia of Korean Folklore, it's listed under the name dokjanggi, which is categorized as one of the variants of sulaejanggi. in Japan, it's called kaidro or dorokei, and it's an inherited form of play, and in Korea, it shares similar rules and has served as a medium for connecting memories between generations.

the current kyunggi trend is more than just a revival of the past: whereas in the past, kyunggi was an impromptu gathering of friends who knew each other, today's kyunggi is more of a large-scale event, organized by an unspecified number of adults through an online platform. while the word itself has risen to the top of search queries, especially with pop culture shows with titles like Waiting for Godot, the actual game has taken on a life of its own.

modern variations and rules for playing cops and robbers

the modern version of hardball played by adults has inherited the rules of the past but has been fine-tuned to fit the physical and social conditions of adults. the most distinctive features are the division of roles and the use of a prison system. while it can start with as few as four players, recent recruitment drives such as Carrot usually keep the size of the group between 20 and 30 people.

the basic structure of the game is for a team of cops to capture a team of thieves and put them all in jail. The cops track down the thieves and arrest them by touching them, and the captured thieves must be moved to a pre-designated area of the jail. this is where the strategic fun of hardball comes in, as uncaptured thieves can escape by infiltrating the jail and touching their trapped teammates.

table 1. Comparative analysis of traditional hardball and adult hardball

category traditional Hardness (for children) modern Hardness (Adult) primary recruitment routes school yards, neighborhood playgrounds

carrots, open chat rooms, social media

group size around 5-10 people

large groups of 20-50+ people

time of day daytime after school

nighttime after work (19:00-22:00)

key Rule Characteristics spontaneous and rules are fluid

clear guidelines such as time limits, area restrictions, etc

what to bring none

armbands, headbands, bottled water, etc. to distinguish teams

post-activity everyone goes home on their own occasional light socializing (optional)

for adult heists, we often set the number of police officers at around 20% of the total number of people. this gives thieves enough room to escape, but also tests the police's ability to work together as a team. We also limit the radius of the activity to a schoolyard or large park to prevent safety incidents, and keep the duration of the play to between one and two hours to manage the physical demands.

the psychology behind adults' fascination with hardness

psychologists have an explanation for why adults are so enthusiastic about childhood play: digital fatigue and anemoia. while digital devices are getting more capable every day, paradoxically, people have come to crave the analog stimulation and discomfort that smartphones can't provide.

first, there's the relief from digital fatigue: the act of clearing the brain by vigorously moving the body away from the constant barrage of information and notifications is a kind of meditation for modern people. hardness has simple rules that don't require complicated tools or prior learning, providing a low barrier to entry and immediate immersion.

second, there's the influence of nostalgia for a past we didn't experience - the neutro trend. For Gen Z, hardness is perceived as both a foreign culture and a fresh play that their parents' generation enjoyed. they enjoy the sophisticated reinterpretation of past cultures, and find special appeal in the aesthetics of imperfection and slowness.

third, escape and emotional comfort. in the midst of the harsh realities of unemployment, housing insecurity, and other hardships, having a place where you can set aside your adult responsibilities and run around like a kid is a huge psychological defense mechanism in itself. by immersing themselves in the role of a cop or a thief, the experience of erasing their everyday selves and living as a character in a play can be powerfully liberating.

Generation MZ's trend toward connection and loose associations

the prevalence of longitudinal play is a clear indication of Generation MZ's new way of relating: indexed relationships and hoolend culture. whereas communities of the past were based on lags or academic connections, longitudinal gatherings are strictly about loose associations based on taste and purpose.

a portmanteau of Who and Friend, hoolend refers to the practice of staying connected to anonymous strangers you meet online only until a purpose is fulfilled. hooligans don't ask each other's names, occupations, or ages; the only thing that matters is whether they're on the cops or the thieves team, and when the game is over, they part ways with a "thank you for a job well done.

these relationships are characterized by

  1. selective belonging: they derive pleasure from belonging only when they need to, and reject the binding power of relationships.

  2. minimized emotional drain: No deeply personal information is shared, so there's no relationship fatigue.

  3. purposeful gatherings: focusing solely on the outcome of play, leading to an efficient leisure life.

experts analyze this as a pragmatic way of communicating in the modern world, where it has become difficult to fully trust others. the desire to forget reality for a while and derive pleasure from loose and temporary relationships is expressed through the play of hardness.

carrot Market's community strategy and the spread of play culture

one of the foundations for this explosion of retro play culture is Carrot (formerly Carrot Market), which has evolved from a platform for buying and selling used goods to a hyperlocal community based on neighborhood authentication.

carrot's neighborhood life and meetup features have become the core infrastructure of the hardness epidemic. users verify their neighborhoods and then post to their neighbors looking for people to trade in. carrot's geo-matching system offsets the psychological anxiety of meeting strangers with the trust of knowing your neighbors.

table 2. Key community features on the Carrot platform and their contribution to play culture

feature Name key feature hardness Role in spreading play neighborhood life

region-based free message board and information sharing

a place to suggest longitudinal meetups and share reviews meetups (Join Us)

organize an interest-based offline lightning meetup

recruit and schedule real-life longitude participants manners temperature user reputation and trust index filtering features to keep meetings healthy carrot Chat

real-time communication without revealing phone numbers

real-time strategy meetings and announcements between participants neighborhood maps provide information about local businesses and attractions finding the right place to perform longitudes

carrot is also expanding its life-oriented services such as taiyaki maps, jobs, and real estate, encouraging users to live their entire lives on the platform. the prevalence of play culture, such as hardness, is seen as a successful example of the kind of community new gathering culture that Carrot is striving for.

influencer power and contentified play culture

the role of rapper Lee Young-ji, also known as President MZ, was crucial in the development of longitudinal play into a nationwide syndrome. on December 30, 2024, Lee posted a short post on his social media page looking for someone to play hardball, and in no time at all, he received a flood of applications.

within about a week, the number of applicants exceeded 100,000, forcing the recruitment to close early. with PD Na Young-seok as a facilitator in the process, it showed the potential of turning a simple game into a large-scale entertainment content. this proves how thirsty the public was for participatory content that goes beyond just watching entertainment, and makes them the protagonists.

the characteristics of contentified hardness include

  • horizontal play between stars and fans: Fans participate as equal players in a star-curated game, creating a bond.

  • expanded real-time communication: Progress is broadcast on social media, providing vicarious gratification for the masses who can't participate.

  • collaborations with companies and platforms: These mass recruitments drive traffic to platforms and create new business models.

age restrictions, social conflict, and safety

behind the hype of longitudinal play, there is also shade. the most prominent controversy is the issue of age restrictions, with many hard play threads only targeting people in their 20s, or politely declining to allow anyone over 30 to participate.

the ostensible reason for this age restriction is physical fitness. hard running involves strenuous running and physical activity, and the logic is that people over 30 are at a higher risk of injury and can't match the intensity of activity with existing members. but it's more than just a physical fitness issue; it's also a social conflict, a cultural disconnect between generations and the exclusion of certain age groups.

additionally, since it's a group of strangers, it's important to follow safety guidelines, which is why Carrot has released the Neighborhood Living Guidelines 2.0 to promote a culture of safe gatherings.

here are some safety tips to keep in mind when participating in light play:

  1. use a public space: Meet in an open, recognizable location, such as a schoolyard or park.

  2. encourage large numbers: Gather with at least three neighbors to ensure safety.

  3. protect privacy: Don't ask for too much personal information, such as names and phone numbers, and use carrot-chat to communicate.

  4. sanitation and ethics: we don't vandalize public property and use respectful language.

  5. beware of deceptive behavior: Report any off-purpose behavior, such as religious proselytizing or multi-level marketing, immediately.

the future and implications of hyperlocal platforms

the rise of longitudinal play is indicative of where hyperlocal platforms are headed in the future. trend forecasts for 2026 show that consumers will favor compressed consumption and light connections, where they are no longer obsessed with possessions but focus on the value of experiences.

platforms like Carrot are now moving beyond second-hand trading to become locally-based economic platforms and cultural production bases. hardness is just the beginning, and in the future, we'll see a variety of retro games such as Blossom and Icebreaker reimagined for adults and spread through the platform, which can serve a positive function by creating a new form of neighborhood cousin for fragmented urbanites.

advances in AI technology will also lead to hyper-personalized services that analyze a user's location and tastes to recommend the best playmates. this will evolve into a form of Just-in-Time Consumption that reduces choice fatigue and delivers the right kind of fun at the exact moment you want it.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1. What is the exact meaning of longitudinal play?

A1. Short for cops and robbers, it refers to a form of play in which participants are divided into teams of cops and robbers, chasing and being chased.

Q2. Why are adults suddenly obsessed with hardness?

A2. The desire to escape digital fatigue, the neutro trend of revitalizing old-fashioned play, and the liberating feeling of loose relationships with anonymity.

Q3. How do I find a meetup on Carrot?

A3. You can search for Hardcore or Cops and Thieves in the Neighborhood Life tab or the Meetups section within the Carrot app to see what's currently open.

Q4. What are the safety concerns with playing hardball?

A4. Injuries from strenuous physical activity, noise complaints in public spaces, and in rare cases, participation in meetups for impure purposes such as religious proselytizing or pyramid schemes.

Q5. Are people over the age of 30 not allowed to participate in hardship meetings?

A5. It depends on the meetup organizer's preference, but many meetups are limited to people in their 20s due to physical limitations or for intergenerational empathy. however, it is possible to organize or join a meetup with no age limit.

more than just a fad, longitudinal play is a cultural symbol of modern people's longing for lost childlike innocence and real-life offline connections. tonight, why not put down your smartphone and join your neighbors for a run in your local park? share your experiences or memories of participating in longitudinal play in the comments! If you enjoyed this post, don't forget to subscribe and sign up for our newsletter.