Chodings and Choding culture

“I will f*** you!” A second-grade girl asked her mother after she got a text message, “What is ‘f***’?” Her mother was at a loss. Her friend who sent the text was a good student at school. Parents think their children are adorable. The behavior of “Choding,” a slang term referring to elementary school students active on the Internet, is similar to that of a group of “cyber zombies.”

A 50-something professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology used violence against a boy who steadily sent vulgar text messages to his daughter last year. He resigned over beating the child. Immediately after the incident, the professor unveiled all text messages that the boy sent to his daughter every two minutes. They were full of swear words and gave the impression that four-letter words have become part of “Choding culture”.

Gwangju police surveyed the purpose of Internet cafe communities suspected of school violence and found that 50 percent of those who opened them to ostracize people were elementary school students. About 40 percent of respondents said they created the site because they hated a certain student’s appearance or behavior. Police investigated 10 youngsters, who turned out to be ordinary students having no problems at home and school. The students in Daegu who ostracized a middle school student and drove him to suicide last year had no problems until the seventh grade. How shocking to discover the evil inside them.

Statistics show that most male students watch porn while in elementary school. Most parents, however, firmly believe that their children would never do that. There is a big gap between reality and what parents believe. Elementary school students can form a group online and attack someone. In the past, opponents of the Gender Equality and Family Ministry were men but they are now elementary school students. The ministry`s website, which screens adult music and regulates games, is covered with foul language spit out by elementary school students. The scary thing is that Chodings have no idea that they are doing something wrong. Parents must always pay attention to them.

Editorial Writer Chung Sung-hee (shchung@donga.com)