July 15, 2022
SEOUL – Final month, a Korean Navy sergeant was lynched by a gaggle of seven fellow servicemen for greater than two hours at a unit in Donghae, Gangwon Province. The sufferer suffered extreme ligament tears and bruises throughout his physique, which required 4 weeks of medical therapy.
A few month earlier than that, 4 highschool ladies in Cheonho-dong, southeastern Seoul have been caught by police for assaulting one among their classmates at a building web site.
The 2 instances could seem unrelated, however have one factor in frequent; the assailants declare that they have been simply “celebrating” the victims on their huge days.
Within the Navy case, the sergeant was to be discharged from the navy the subsequent day. The Seoul incident befell on the sufferer’s birthday.
Hit for pleasure
Nasty celebrations that includes violence and humiliation are nothing new in South Korea, neither is it distinctive to the nation.
On YouTube, there’s an abundance of “saengil-bbang” movies exhibiting Koreans – largely youngsters — kicking their mates’ butts whereas wishing them a contented birthday. “Saengil” means birthday in Korean, and the phrase “bbang” is used as a suffix to point violent celebrations.
Movies on YouTube the place younger Koreans are spanking mates’ butt to rejoice their birthday. (YouTube)
Within the early 2000s, saengil-bbang was extra violent. They have been additionally extra humiliating for the recipients, happening in public locations and — in some excessive instances — that includes nudity.
A 2007 report by public broadcaster KBS affords a glimpse into the observe at the moment, with footage and photographs. In a single clip, a gaggle of individuals stand in a circle, kicking and stamping on an individual on the heart. One other exhibits a woman, tied to a road pole or a tree with duct tape, getting flour dumped on her.
A 2010 article revealed by native newspaper the JoongAng Ilbo quotes then-President Lee Myung-bak as calling “ugly” commencement after-parties of youngsters a “illness of our society.” The comment got here after a sequence of studies about a number of teenage boys tearing off one another’s uniforms at commencement ceremonies, as a part of “joleop-bbang.” “Joleop” is the Korean phrase for commencement.
Whereas the birthday and commencement ceremonies have been largely a teenage factor, younger male navy conscripts had their very own tradition of “jeonyeok-bbang,” or violent discharge ceremony.
Ham Younger-wok, a 30-year-old workplace employee in Seoul who accomplished his necessary navy service in 2015, mentioned the observe normally occurred throughout a farewell occasion for troopers who’re to be discharged.
“Certainly one of my navy comrades smashed my face right into a cake. They (fellow comrades) stood in a line to kick my butt, one after one other. They didn’t hit me too onerous as a result of it was just a bit prank. I believe this customary observe might be harmful when accompanied by alcohol,” Ham mentioned.
Little is understood about when and the way such practices began in Korea. However it seems to have been in observe within the Nineteen Nineties.
Koo Jung-woo, a sociology professor at Keimyung College, famous a tradition of violence prevalent within the navy might have led troopers to precise their feelings, good or unhealthy, in bodily methods.
“Many Korean navy models have used corporal punishment, even for small errors. Troopers’ repeated publicity to violence has led to violent methods of communication,” he mentioned.
“Though the navy wants a sure stage of hierarchy and strict self-discipline, it doesn’t imply that violence might be ignored,” the professor added.
Outdoors the barracks, there’s a tendency to view violence as a mere prank, identified Kim Sung-chul, a professor within the media division at Korea College.
“There are numerous TV exhibits the place forged members hit one another to entertain viewers. Additionally it is fairly frequent to see forged members obtain penalties like a bucket of water being poured on their heads or a finger flick on their foreheads,” he mentioned.
South Korean entertainers Kim Jong-guk and Jeong Jun-ha punch one another throughout an episode of the favored SBS selection present “Working Man.” (SBS)
This sort of media illustration may give viewers the unsuitable concept about violence and its use as a prank.
The professor additionally famous that violent celebrations might be related to, or result in, bullying.
