Get that thing off your chest... Now...

[lemonscent]

It is a problem. South Korea is absolutely obsessed with online games that it starts to create trouble. You probably have heard some crazy (real) story revolves around South Korean and online games (or online in general). For them, it seems online games is life itself... IDK... but that's my impression.

Stories I have heard like when a person is killed but no one care because they're busy playing online games at that time or someone kill his friends because that person take the rare drops from their hunt. There are also several Korean actresses that committed suicide because of cyber-bullying.

Also since I have a satellite TV, I can watch several Korean TV channels. And there are plenty online games channel. Some even dedicated to only online games (never play anything else like news).

Don't forget that there are gaming school in Korea (to become a professional gamer) and obviously there are plenty of professional gamers (and they are, like other professional athlete, celebrities). Gaming have become a sport (e-sport) and officially recognized by country (China has too).

Thing is, although I admit that there's definitely a problem with Koreans & the internet, the Korean actresses are definitely not to blame. Despite the small population, Koreans are... intense, I guess I should say, when it comes to cyber-bullying and bullying in general. And I do admit that this is a problem, but it has nothing to do with gaming. Also I've heard of a lot of White people who committed suicide due to cyber-bullying, so again, that's not just a Korean thing.

TBH I feel like you guys are taking a (relative) minority and ballooning things to mean that most, if not all, SKoreans have this problem. And that's just not true.

Yes, there are events on the news about how some parents "forget about their kids while playing games" and stuff. But sad as it is, child abuse takes place in all parts of the world. It just /sometimes/ takes a different form in Korea, and it's on the news more often simply because it's different. "Child died because parents neglected him/her" is generally not on the news because it's so commonplace. So if it were just as common, why would "SKorean parents killed child to play games" be on the news both nationally and internationally? Exactly.

It's true that there are online gaming channels. It's a business, and I don't see how it's an issue. IIRC there are professional gamers hired for LoL and maybe WoW (I've never played those games so idk), which exemplifies that there are professional gamers in the US. Either way, the concept of professional gamers isn't just a "Korean/Chinese thing". And even if there are these "gaming schools" (I've never heard of them, but they probably do exist), it's just another business. I honestly don't see how "athletes" are okay if "professional gamers" are not, but that's just imo.

If you ask me, I do sadly think South Korea has a lot of problems on its hands. But gaming is not one of the problems. But again, this is just IMO, and omg so much text Q____Q

[Omnificent]

South Korea is a ridiculously stressed out country with the highest suicide rate in the world. The pressure to become a very narrow definition of neo-Confucian success, just as in Japan, is extremely high, and anyone who fails to meet that expectation, whether it be in school, at work, family or social life is considered to be pretty much a failure and a shame as a human being on one or more levels.

So stuff like, say, professional Starcraft is an alternative to that path. Not a socially acceptable alternative, I bet, but an alternative, a sort of cathartic escape from what would otherwise be a meat grinder existence. It's not intrinsically that much different from people who, say, escape into the world of anime and manga.

[lemonscent]

South Korea is a ridiculously stressed out country with the highest suicide rate in the world. The pressure to become a very narrow definition of neo-Confucian success, just as in Japan, is extremely high, and anyone who fails to meet that expectation, whether it be in school, at work, family or social life is considered to be pretty much a failure and a shame as a human being on one or more levels.

So stuff like, say, professional Starcraft is an alternative to that path. Not a socially acceptable alternative, I bet, but an alternative, a sort of cathartic escape from what would otherwise be a meat grinder existence. It's not intrinsically that much different from people who, say, escape into the world of anime and manga.

^ This is what I was planning on getting at eventually although I obviously totally forgot to in the midst of writing, i.e. failed.

[LVUER]

May be it's a minor problem for the Korean themselves. I'm just comparing South Korea with other countries. And their attitude toward online games (and online in general) is very different. I think even the government had admit it is a problem that must be solved. May be it's not something serious, but still a problem that need to be addressed someday anyway (or it can go worse).

About the actresses, yes, like usual, something only get highlighted when it involves celebrities like artist or politician. But suicide because of cyber-bullying is not something happened everywhere or that often... or is it? Not in my country at least. Most of us can clearly differentiate internet life and RL. Or may be it's just our people haven't that invested on internet in the first place (which turns out can be a good thing, huh?)

OOT: I think you've know about this, but in China, the government heavily control the internet and of course, online games too. Any school age is prohibited from playing online games and even the adult is regulated on how long they can play it. "Online game is evil!"

[lemonscent]

May be it's a minor problem for the Korean themselves. I'm just comparing South Korea with other countries. And their attitude toward online games (and online in general) is very different. I think even the government had admit it is a problem that must be solved. May be it's not something serious, but still a problem that need to be addressed someday anyway (or it can go worse).

About the actresses, yes, like usual, something only get highlighted when it involves celebrities like artist or politician. But suicide because of cyber-bullying is not something happened everywhere or that often... or is it? Not in my country at least. Most of us can clearly differentiate internet life and RL. Or may be it's just our people haven't that invested on internet in the first place (which turns out can be a good thing, huh?)

OOT: I think you've know about this, but in China, the government heavily control the internet and of course, online games too. Any school age is prohibited from playing online games and even the adult is regulated on how long they can play it. "Online game is evil!"

I've often heard about suicide-because-of-cyberbullying happening in the US, and there have been many more cases of self-harm. I think cyber bullying and irl bullying (esp. verbal bullying) are essentially the same thing, just executed on different platforms, so I don't think it's a matter of "telling apart reality and internet life".

Otherwise, yeah, I guess the gaming attitude does seem like a big problem when compared to that of other countries... hmm.

&& o___o;; I actually didn't know that. lol I feel like there's nothing China doesn't censor... but iunno.

[TsukiShima]

Not about Korea, but still about games... Irisu Syndrome, to be exact.

I tried it out with my friend last night, and I guess playing it at late night in a dark room wasn't a good idea. When I first started, I was expecting your typical RPG style, not a puzzle. I couldn't figure out what to do. After playing it a few times, only then I know what to do. Then I was like, huh? Playing puzzles to obtain a bunch of pictures?

But then I noticed Irisu was staring at me all the time when I was playing.

I couldn't finish the game properly, only managing to get the Bad Ending.

But okay, the actual story was very, very screwed. I never figured that Uuji and Irisu was THAT crazy, while Edogawa and Ageha are merely victims of theirs. I'm not quite satisfied with the whole story, but I guess that's the true intention, Uuji is not supposed to be love knowing he's a rabbit killer.

I can guess why the game is said to be scary, with all the

forth-wall breaking

and too fitting musics. I still want to see some bonus notes and pictures, but I searched around YouTube and it seemed no one obtained them so far.

Moral of the game, never ever try to someone... or animals. They'll hunt you down for your death.

[pwisaguacate]

Not about Korea, but still about games... Irisu Syndrome, to be exact.

I tried it out with my friend last night, and I guess playing it at late night in a dark room wasn't a good idea. When I first started, I was expecting your typical RPG style, not a puzzle. I couldn't figure out what to do. After playing it a few times, only then I know what to do. Then I was like, huh? Playing puzzles to obtain a bunch of pictures?

But then I noticed Irisu was staring at me all the time when I was playing.

I couldn't finish the game properly, only managing to get the Bad Ending.

But okay, the actual story was very, very screwed. I never figured that Uuji and Irisu was THAT crazy, while Edogawa and Ageha are merely victims of theirs. I'm not quite satisfied with the whole story, but I guess that's the true intention, Uuji is not supposed to be love knowing he's a rabbit killer.

I can guess why the game is said to be scary, with all the

forth-wall breaking

and too fitting musics. I still want to see some bonus notes and pictures, but I searched around YouTube and it seemed no one obtained them so far.

Moral of the game, never ever try to someone... or animals. They'll hunt you down for your death.

You're damn dead to me.

[ShippoK]

Oh dear... The Heartful memory crew took a dark turn for the worse!
(I like it!)

@TsukiShima
Why not try Love, Courage, and Leaf-Wrapped Rice Cake. It'll make you feel better after playing Irisu Syndrome.

[TsukiShima]

@pwisaguacate : You... really, really scared me. I thought it was my own picture that was scratched out. *laughs nervously* You really got me. And oh gawd, when you erased the face it's much more scarier than erasing the whole thing.

@ShippoK : Wait you're not suppose to be excited! I wonder if that game is as cute as it looked... After playing that game I learn not to judge so early... I'm going to try it anyway... Wish me luck.

[dramspringfeald]

So, Mom got out of the hospital 2 weeks ago and we are now here at the hospital because she is having a heart attack...

[merdeamour]

So, Mom got out of the hospital 2 weeks ago and we are now here at the hospital because she is having a heart attack...

/: I hope she gets well. I... I know that sounds like a pretty empty thing for me to say, because I don't even know you or your family, but I really do hope she gets well. I'll be praying for her, too, if that means something to you...

[dramspringfeald]

So, It was a 90% Blockage, They installed a Stint and she should be out in 2 or 3 days.

[Greeny]

Everyone feels entitled to a job nowadays.

Noone owes you anything, and the attitude isn't exactly helping your chances.

[MaiMai]

I feel good after doing an intense workout and then taking a shower to cool off and rinse, but I'm feeling shaky which is affecting my drawing hand. Stop that body, I need to design characters!!

[Greeny]

Arrrggh, there are just no words for... arrrggh... banks! I hate them so much!
Don't tell me to let you know if I don't accept your new terms and conditions and then not have an email to contact you with! Snail mail?! are you kidding me?! More importantly, that kind of shit shouldn't be opt-out! Frig arrggh.... Banks... arrggghhhh.