UPDATE: Brian warned me that this story (about the death of the Korean man) is likely an urban legend. It is very similar to an urban legend floated three years ago. If it is an urban legend, then many news sources from CNN to BBC will have to retract the story. The information on South Korea and video gaming is accurate: 30% of the entire nation is online and are registered gamers. Think about that statistic.
In Are We Amusing Our Kids To Death With Video Games? I raised the issue of the danger in video gaming. Then I read Man Dies After Gaming Binge.
After a non-stop 50-hour computer-game bender, a South Korean man died from exhaustion at an Internet café in the city of Taegu, revealing a dark side to the booming gaming industry.
The 28-year-old man, identified by his last name Lee, reportedly finished the game session and several minutes later suffered from heart failure, local police said Tuesday.
Over three days, Mr. Lee had left the computer screen only to go the bathroom and take a few brief naps on a makeshift bed, local police said.
Even more surprising, turns out it’s not the first computer game-related death in a country where online video games rule entertainment habits and the national industry leads the world.
In the same article ...
There are more than 20,000 Internet cafes in South Korea dedicated to online video games, where gamers spend hours playing massive multiplayer online role-playing games, called MMORPGs.
South Korea’s gaming industry can thank the fact that it has the world’s highest household broadband penetration rate of more than 75 percent for the big revenues. At the same time, the U.S. had a broadband penetration rate of only 29 percent per household last year. Fewer than 2.5 million Americans play MMORPGs.
South Korea has a massive problem on its hands. The country's addiction problem is mammoth -- in more than one way. The players are addicted to the games -- and the industry is addicted to the massive revenues it generates.
Jeff,
This is likely a hoax and urban legend...
http://caseylartigue.blogspot.com/2005/08/south-korea-video-game-death-story-is.html
http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2005/08/11/media/
Cheers,
Brian
Posted by: Brian | August 23, 2005 at 14:28
If someone died after 50 hours of apologetics, would you call for an end to apologetics? :)
Posted by: tgirsch | August 23, 2005 at 16:54
So this might be an urban legend, though I do think there is something to consider here. Time. We only get so much it and we only get it moment by moment. 50 hours and a couple of minutes, several moments later this man was gone.
What have you done with your last 50 hours and all those moments?
Did you stay a little longer at the coffee shop with a friend? Did you go for a walk and meet a new neighbor and discover a new friendship? Did you quiet yourself and shut out all the buzz and gain insight into your life? Did you call someone in your family? Did you go to the gym and relieve some pressure and some stress? Did you take a nap and let your body and mind restore?
There is nothing wrong with enjoying the technologies of our time. Just stop and think about the moment you're in, be aware of your surroundings and yourself.
What will you do in this moment, right now, the only one you have?
Posted by: agirloutthere | August 24, 2005 at 09:57
Brain, that was funny.
Posted by: gid | August 24, 2005 at 10:40
Jeff,
World Magazine also reported this, so it's got to be true, right?
(You'll have to scroll down to the short, "Death by Halo".)
Posted by: Craig | August 25, 2005 at 06:32
I have seen this story all over the place -- the speculation that it is an urban legend is still in the speculation phase.
I am not exactly sure how urban legends get confirmed.
"agirloutthere" raises some good issues about use of time. I am all for a little escapism now and then -- but highly addictive pasttimes go beyond a momentary relief into a nearly bottomless abyss of wasted time.
Posted by: Dawn Treader | August 25, 2005 at 11:49