K-Tile — Terms of Service (English)
These Terms set the conditions for using the mobile game “K-Tile: Space Journey” (the “Service”), provided by Softback. How we handle personal data is set out separately in the Privacy Policy. The section numbers below match the Korean sections above (1–16), so you can read the two side by side.
- Your game progress is stored on your phone only. We do not keep your progress (stages, stars, coins, collection) on our servers. If you uninstall the app or change devices, we cannot bring your progress back (§9).
- Google Play handles payment and refunds. We never receive your card number (§7).
- You can use everything without creating an account. Google sign-in is optional and changes nothing in the game. If you sign in, an account is created on our server (§5-3).
1. Purpose
These Terms set out the rights, obligations and responsibilities of the Company and of users. Matters not covered here follow the laws of the Republic of Korea — in particular the Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce, the Act on the Regulation of Terms and Conditions and the Content Industry Promotion Act — and ordinary commercial practice. These Terms were written on the basis of Korean law; that is why the periods and procedures below are the Korean statutory ones.
2. Definitions
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Company | Softback (소프트백) · representative 백영존. Business details and contact: §16. |
| Service | The game “K-Tile” and all features belonging to it (journey map, word learning, versus, shop and so on). |
| User | Anyone who agrees to these Terms and uses the Service. |
| In-game currency | Coins, stars, hearts and the like, used inside the game only. It is not money and cannot be exchanged for money. |
| Paid item | An item bought with real money through Google Play (§6). |
| Content pack | Additional content such as word packs, map packs and tile skins. Individually they are opened with in-game coins only. Buying the paid Full Edition opens all always-on-sale packs at once (§6-1). |
3. Posting and amendment of these Terms
- We post these Terms on our website (k-tile.pages.dev/en/terms).
- We may amend them, within the limits of applicable law.
- When we amend them we state the effective date and the reason and announce it at least 7 days in advance. For an amendment that is unfavourable to users we announce it at least 30 days in advance and notify its content separately.
- If you do not tell us you object before the announced effective date, you are deemed to have agreed. If you do not agree, you may stop using the Service and delete the app — and, if you signed in, delete your account (§5-3).
4. What the Service is
The Service is a word puzzle game played by mahjong-solitaire rules. Tiles show a word in the language you are learning, a picture of it, or its meaning in your own language; you clear a word tile together with a tile showing its meaning (picture or native-language text). When you make a match, the word is read aloud. The main features are below, and features may be added, changed or discontinued (§12).
- Campaign — the core mode: solving boards stage by stage along the journey map
- Content packs — themed word packs, map packs and tile skins. Some map packs are event packs sold for a limited period
- Word learning — learning languages are Korean, English, Romanian and Japanese (free) and German (the paid “language pack”); meanings can be shown in 13 languages
- Versus (Arena) — solving the same board side by side with another user. If no opponent is available right now, you play against a recorded run left by users, or against the “Device”
- Rankings — when you clear a board its score is sent to our server automatically, pooled without recording who sent it, and shown as “top N % in your country”. Sending the score cannot be switched off in the settings (Privacy Policy, Korean §8-1 / English §H)
- Daily check-in, daily missions, the wheel, friend invites, coupons and other in-game rewards
- Word meanings are checked by comparing several translations against each other; human review has so far been completed for only some words. Meanings and pictures may contain errors. Long-press a word in the word collection and choose “Report a word error”, or write to us (§16), and we will check it.
- Words are read aloud by your phone’s speech engine (TTS), so pronunciation can differ by device and engine, and nothing is spoken if your phone has no voice data for the language you learn (word audio guide).
- The Service is not a substitute for a dictionary, a translator, or the teaching materials of an educational institution.
5. Use of the Service, and accounts
5-1. No sign-up. The contract to use the Service is formed by installing and running the app. There is no registration step that creates an id and a password.
5-2. Year and month of birth on first launch.
- The first time you run the app, a screen asks once for your year and month of birth.
- The app turns this into one of “18 or over · 14–17 · under 14” plus the month the band changes, and keeps only that on your device. Your year and month of birth are neither stored nor sent.
- This band decides ads (§10) and sign-in (§5-3).
- You cannot change the answer. Clearing the app’s data in your device settings makes the app ask again (your game data is cleared too). Details: Privacy Policy English §B-1.
5-3. Google sign-in is optional.
- You can use every feature of the game without signing in. Signing in changes nothing in the game, and your progress (stars, coins, collection) is not moved to the account.
- If you sign in, an account is created on our server. What is mainly stored: your Google account identifier, your email address as verified by Google, an account id we generate (random), the time you were confirmed as 14 or over plus your sign-up and last sign-in times, the account status, and a session kept for sign-in (the token only as an irreversible hash, 7 days) together with the random identifier of the device that opened it. Separately, we keep an operations log of when sign-in, sign-out, deletion and similar events happened. We do not store your name or your profile picture. Details: Privacy Policy (Korean §8-11 / English §I).
- You can sign in only if the age band from §5-2 is 14 or over. Under 14, the sign-in button does not appear.
- You can delete the account at any time — in the app under Settings → Account → Delete account, or at k-tile.pages.dev/en/account/delete. The account is deleted immediately and this cannot be undone. What remains afterwards is listed on that page and in the Privacy Policy (Korean §11-1).
5-4. Age. The Service is intended for users aged 14 and over. Users under 14 see no ads and no sign-in button, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 14. Buying a paid item is subject to the rule on legal guardians’ consent in §7-4.
6. Paid services
Paid items are sold only through Google Play. They fall into three kinds.
| Kind | Items | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Non-consumable | Remove Ads · Time Spirit · Defense Tower (carrier station) · Full Edition · language pack (currently German) | Bought once, kept. With the same Google account they are restored automatically when the app starts, even after reinstalling or changing device (this needs an internet connection and confirmation from Google Play · §9). |
| Consumable | Coin bundles | Spent and gone. Not restored. |
| Subscription | Unlimited hearts (1 week · 1 month) | For the period you can start boards without spending hearts. Renews automatically (§8). It does not include ad removal or content packs. |
6-1. Full Edition.
- The Full Edition opens Remove Ads · Time Spirit · Defense Tower · unlimited hearts with no time limit and all always-on-sale word packs, map packs and tile skins at once.
- It does not include event packs sold for a limited period, coins, single-use items or language packs.
- The price is the amount shown on the purchase screen; it can differ from person to person, for example according to the paid items you already own.
6-2. In-game currency (coins, stars, hearts).
- In-game currency is not money and cannot be exchanged for money, goods or services.
- A content pack opened with in-game currency (word pack, map pack, tile skin) is recorded in that device’s saved data only and is not restored through your Google account (§9).
- In-game currency may be granted free of charge through check-in, missions, the wheel, invites, coupons, events and the like. Anything granted free of charge is not subject to refund when the Service or the event ends.
- We may change prices, grant amounts and where currency can be used for game balance, and will give advance notice of changes unfavourable to users under §3. We will not arbitrarily reduce the quantity of currency already granted to you.
7. Payment · withdrawal of purchase · refunds
7-1. The fastest route is Google Play. Google Play provides a procedure letting you refund a purchase yourself within a limited time after buying. For purchases past that window you can apply to Google Play support or to us (§16).
7-2. Withdrawal of purchase.
- Under the Korean Act on Consumer Protection in Electronic Commerce you may withdraw a purchase within 7 days of the purchase date.
- However, under Article 17(2)(v) of the same Act, withdrawal may be restricted once supply of the digital content has begun. That restriction applies only to items for which we have taken the measures required by Article 17(6) (stating that withdrawal is not possible and offering a trial or the like); for items without those measures, and for any part not yet supplied, we do not restrict withdrawal.
- In the following cases we refund regardless of whether the item was used:
- payment was taken but the item was not delivered;
- the item became unusable through our fault or error;
- an item different from what was described or advertised was supplied.
- Withdrawal and cancellation of a subscription follow §8.
⚠️ The “7 days” above is the Korean statutory period, quoted from the Korean text. This summary states only what the Korean Terms say. Mandatory consumer law in your own country may give you a longer or stronger right — we do not list those rights here, because we would be guessing at their conditions. Any right the law gives you applies whether or not it is written here, and nothing here is intended to shorten a statutory period that applies to you.
7-3. Cases where a refund is difficult.
- in-game currency already spent (for example a content pack opened with coins);
- currency or items granted free of charge;
- an item that became unusable through the user’s intent or negligence;
- an item obtained by improper means (§11).
⚠️ The list above is not an attempt to reduce the consumer rights given by law (including withdrawal under §7-2). Where the law allows a refund, the law prevails regardless of these Terms.
7-4. Payments by minors. A payment made by a minor without the consent of a legal guardian may be cancelled by the minor or by the guardian. Statutory exceptions apply — for instance where the minor used deception to make us believe they were an adult. To ask for a cancellation, contact us at §16.
7-5. Before you pay. Please check the content, price and period of the item before buying. Every time you buy a paid item the Service first shows its own confirmation dialog, and only then the Google Play payment sheet.
7-6. Refunded items. Once a refund (a Google Play refund, a withdrawal or a cancelled payment) is confirmed, the non-consumable item or Full Edition is switched off the next time you start the app. If the Full Edition is refunded, what it opened is closed again, but anything you had already bought with coins before stays.
7-7. Payments not yet confirmed. While a payment is still pending, or while we have not been able to confirm a purchase, the item is not delivered; it is delivered once confirmed. A payment that is never confirmed is refunded automatically under Google Play’s policy. If an item was not delivered through our fault or error, we refund it under §7-2.
8. Subscriptions
- A subscription renews automatically unless you cancel before the current period ends, and the renewal fee is charged to the payment method registered with Google Play.
- You can cancel at any time in Google Play → Payments & subscriptions → Subscriptions; while subscribed, the “Manage subscription” button in the shop opens that screen too. After cancelling you keep access until the period you already paid for ends.
- If the subscription price or benefits change, we tell you through Google Play before the renewal, and you may cancel if you do not agree.
- Benefits provided during the subscription end when the subscription ends.
- While you already have unlimited hearts through the Full Edition or a coupon, you cannot buy a new subscription. Buying the Full Edition does not cancel a running subscription automatically — please cancel it yourself.
9. Where your progress is stored — the most important notice
- you uninstall the app;
- you clear the app’s stored data on the device;
- you move to a different device.
| What | If you reinstall or change device |
|---|---|
| Stage progress · stars · collection · in-game currency | Does not come back |
| Content packs opened with coins | Does not come back — but if you own the Full Edition, the always-on-sale packs it opens are opened again |
| Non-consumable items bought with real money (including the Full Edition) | Comes back automatically when the app starts, with the same Google account (this needs an internet connection and confirmation from Google Play; if it fails, the app tries again next time) |
| Subscription | The remaining period continues, with the same Google account |
| Coin bundles (consumable) | Does not come back |
| Unlimited-hearts period received with a coupon | Entering the same coupon code again moves the remaining period over (one device at a time — moving it ends it on the previous device) |
If you reinstall or change device and your earlier purchases come back while your progress starts from the beginning, then — after a check by our server and only once per purchase — we let you skip the tutorial and give you 500 coins. This does not restore your progress.
We may provide cloud save in future, but we do not promise when. If we do, we will amend these Terms and the Privacy Policy together and tell you.
10. Advertising
- The Service includes Google AdMob advertising. Details: Privacy Policy §5 / English §C.
- A rewarded ad plays only when you press its button, and you receive the stated reward if you watch it to the end.
- An interstitial ad appears only after a journey-map (campaign) board has ended — it never interrupts you in the middle of a board. At present it appears once every 4 finished boards, counting campaign and arena boards together, and not at all until you have finished the tutorial and cleared stage 10. Map-pack boards are not counted and are never followed by an interstitial.
- Ads depend on the age band you entered under §5-2: 18 or over — personalised ads may be shown (in the EEA, the UK and Switzerland only if you consent); 14–17 — non-personalised ads only; under 14 — no ads.
- If you buy Remove Ads or the Full Edition, interstitial ads are no longer shown. Rewarded ads remain, because those are ones you choose yourself in order to receive a reward. The unlimited-hearts subscription does not remove ads.
- The content of ads is determined by advertisers and Google; we do not review individual ads.
11. Your obligations
Please do not do the following. If we confirm it, we may restrict use, reclaim items or delete the account, and legal liability may follow.
- Tampering with the app or its data, or manipulating memory or saved values;
- using automation tools (macros, bots) to progress through the game or raise rankings;
- paying or obtaining currency by abnormal means, or repeatedly obtaining unjustified refunds after paying (withdrawal or refunds under the law are not included);
- exploiting vulnerabilities, or placing an excessive load on the servers;
- using report features such as “Report a word error” falsely or repeatedly;
- infringing the rights of others or breaking the law.
⚠️ Before taking the measures above we will tell you the reason and give you a chance to explain, as far as possible. In urgent cases we may act first and tell you afterwards.
12. Change · suspension · termination of the Service
- We may change the content, features and composition of the Service. Important changes that are unfavourable to users are notified in advance under §3.
- The Service may be temporarily suspended for maintenance, equipment replacement or network failure. Where it can be foreseen we announce it in advance; where it cannot, we tell you afterwards.
- If we terminate the Service we announce it 30 days in advance. On termination we take the necessary steps, including refunds, for unused in-game currency that was paid for, in accordance with applicable law and Google Play policy. Currency that was granted free of charge is not subject to refund.
13. Intellectual property
- Rights in the images, music, text, software and trade marks in the Service belong to the Company or to the rightful owners.
- You receive the right to use the Service personally and non-commercially. We are not transferring rights to you.
- Please do not copy, distribute, sell or make derivative works of the Service’s content without our prior consent. Recording, streaming and making “let’s play” videos of your play, and sharing them, is permitted — provided you do not impersonate the Company or present yourself as officially affiliated.
- Third-party components used by the Service (open source and so on) are governed by their own licences.
14. Limits of liability
- We are not liable for damage arising from causes for which we are not responsible, such as natural disaster, network failure, or problems with your own device.
- We are not liable for loss of the progress data that is stored on your device only under §9, unless that loss was caused by our intent or negligence.
- We do not guarantee learning outcomes, rankings or game results.
- The clauses above do not exempt us from liability caused by our intent or gross negligence, and have no effect to the extent that they are unfairly disadvantageous to a consumer.
15. Disputes
- We and you will try to resolve a dispute by talking first.
- If it is not resolved, the law of the Republic of Korea is the governing law, and proceedings are brought before the court having jurisdiction under the Korean Civil Procedure Act.
- You may apply for dispute mediation to bodies such as the Korea Consumer Agency or the Electronic Commerce Dispute Mediation Committee.
⚠️ The Korean Terms name the court determined by Korean civil procedure law. We make no statement here about courts outside Korea — whatever your own mandatory law provides on that applies regardless of what these Terms say.
16. Contact
| Business name | Softback (소프트백) |
|---|---|
| Representative | 백영존 (Korean only — the romanisation on our business registration has not been confirmed, so we do not guess one here.) |
| Business registration no. | 416-31-65901 |
| Mail-order sales registration no. | 2026-화성동탄-2967 (registered with Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea) |
| Address | 99 Dongtan-jungang-ro, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea (경기도 화성시 동탄구 동탄중앙로 99) |
| Telephone | 010-2697-5218 (+82 10-2697-5218) |
| softback.help@gmail.com
(support · refunds · word error reports) dev@softbackgames.com (developer) | |
| Hosting provider | Cloudflare, Inc. |
| Privacy Policy | k-tile.pages.dev/en/privacy |
| Delete your account | k-tile.pages.dev/en/account/delete |
Closing clause — These Terms (v1.1) take effect on 7 October 2026. They were written on the basis of the laws of the Republic of Korea. Where the law provides otherwise than these Terms, the law prevails.
The Korean text is the original and prevails if the two differ. Full Korean document: here. Contact: softback.help@gmail.com · dev@softbackgames.com · Tel 010-2697-5218