(Photos) South Korean Boot Camps For Video Game-Addicted Teens

I used to work professionally with children so I am thinking about the psychological toll on the kids mentioned in this above article. What a horrible thing to do to children. The parents and camp leaders have no clue what will happen in the future as those young people take their place in leadership over jobs and families. You do not kill a child's spirit like this without killing all else that makes them vibrant in life. Parents should understand that killing the spirit also kills ALL emotions and compassion and these "kids" are the ones who will be "caring" for them in their elder years. Payback big time.

"Love never fails." It should also be noted that parental training about how to achieve more success with their children earlier in life would be a better alternative than such harsh punishment during their most impressionable years.

And spoiling children makes it any better? This is nothing new in the Asian culture, and last I checked Asians are lot more disciplined, and more respectful than any country in the world. This just makes them tougher, and more responsible with their life. Loving a child in an Asian culture is about discipline, and respect. If people end up becoming soft, and spoiled humanity will just die in it's own existence.

I agree they need love, but if your own child doesn't listen to you what kind of love is that? If they spend their time playing videogames or on the tv how can you even have a bond with them? In order to love somebody you need communication, and if there is no communication there is no love. It's the same with relationships. Do you really think a counselor would really help or a nanny? These kids are smarter than you think. They test every adult to see how far they can go, and if they can, they will continue to do that. You have to draw the line somewhere.

Nobody is perfect, and nobody knows what goes in a child's mind no matter what profession you take. But we know that if we see our child losing themselves through drugs, videogames, tv, eating habits etc, a parents responsibility is to bring them back. Because if that child dies playing videogames for 25 hours straight it becomes that parents loss, and it would devastate them.

If you seen the many deaths in videogames in South Korea, it's like being on drugs, and over dosing. You should look in between the lines, and not just the picture that's given to you. You probably didn't even read the actual meaning of why those children are there. Put yourself in the parents shoes, and you would understand why they do it. Some parents don't have a choice, and when they can't communicate with their children it hurts them. It's the only way that child will see what the parent is trying to do for them in the long run.


The most important thing in an Asian family is harmony. That is something that brings a family together, and that's why they discipline. You don't want your child growing up weak or lost. It maybe child abuse to a lot of western people, but this is the way Asian culture is, and has been established for thousands of years.

So before you jump to conclusions, and say how bad these parents are maybe you should look at how much those parents care for those kids. Because if a parent really hated their child they wouldn't even support them, and kick them out on the street at that age. There are many unfortunate children in this world who get neglected by parents every day. And this is not one of them.

"I agree they need love, but if your own child doesn't listen to you what kind of love is that?"

The first part of this sentence is about loving the child, the second part of this sentence is about the child loving the parent. It seems that you weren't able to make that distinction. Here it sounds like you're saying if the child doesn't show the parents love then the parents have the right to send their child to lie shirtless in the snow. This is what the first poster is talking about, because that sure doesn't sound like love to me. It sounds like selfishness.

"Because if a parent really hated their child they wouldn't even support them, and kick them out on the street at that age."

No, Korean parents, especially the kind that have the money to send kids to camps like this, would never kick their kids to the streets because of the shame it would bring to their own reputations. Which is often the same reason they over-discipline their children. The most important thing in Korean families is status. I don't see anything "harmonious" about sending your kid to these camps.

lol what?

As a Korean who grew up in these environments (this is standard bootcamp drill, BTW, and they have CLASSES in school that do these exact same drills too), I think you guys overdramatize the emotional impact these have on kids.

They DO NOT grow up to be completely socially impaired or disrespectful to elders. That's just a fucking myth that White people make up to justify being lazy parents.

And these camps don't cost jack shit. I bet you it's somewhere in the $150-200 range. Practically the cost of a Wii.

This is a cool story,but did you know that they say kids who are good at video games will make good surgeons due to the eye hand coordination.

Mabybe my friends two boys should be sent there. They are A students though(lol)

Love this. Rated up

Regards!

its nice ryan,specially the pic is cool,brave students,rated up

Some kids are so spoiled and may miss school, but often these kids have some mental or domestic problems. I teach at a small free school and most of our kids are the latter case. Therefore, I am not so sure if this type of boot camping would work well. Many years ago, there were so called 'Totsuka Yacht School' in Japan and it was like this one. Some kids tried to escape from the camp but were forced to return. In the end, some died from severe beating up or something. The school was closed, of course. From the photos, the camp may not be as bad as 'Totsuka.'

Sounds Kinda like "Outward Bound"!

http://www.outwardbound.ca/

Well I totally agree with them. This is not only healthier for the kids but also beneficial.

Very good report. They will go to boot camp anyway so might as well let them get a taste of the snow ;) Rated UP

Why does it have to be "one extreme or another"? How's about a little balance? For example, I would let the kids have 20 minutes each day to talk with their parents by phone. Heck, even Army basic training lets you call home.

Unless the real core issue of each child is solved, sooner or later, she/he might resume the bad habit: escaping to video game and testing her/his parent(s).

Sometimes, the best way out is the hard way. Coaching and advices could never be better than self teaching, and that usually comes in the form of experiences. I have been to the army, sure I bitch about alot inside, but when I am out now and looking back, I felt that I became a much more responsible, discipline and independent person.

Theres no way to get your love across to a child if he/she doesn't appreciate your love.

Are you sure this is not in NORTH Korea?

Spoiling children surely doesnt help them, but this camp seems too extreme. One thing is go to the army when you're 18 years old, but with 11 years old?
We are not in the Middle Age anymore. There are adequate human methods to treat this children. And I have no doubt that many parents may prefer this method because it puts all the trouble on the kid, their son is the "guilty" one, so they dont have to change themselves or reflect about their parenting style. Its so much easier to pay for some stranger disciplinate your kid. But I'm not saying that these parents dont love their children or dont care about them for that. Its very hard to be a parent these days. But I dont think that these camps will make their children have more respect for them. Fear, maybe, but not real respect.

I agree with gabias totally. To love appropriately is difficult. We parents need to learn HOW.

I totally agree with gabias. It's important and difficult for every parent to learn how to love properly.