08-10-2005, 01:12 PM
Pulled from CNN on 10-AUG-2005:
Just a little bit crazy, don't you think? This is the 4th or 5th time I've read something like this coming out of South Korea. Next thing that you know, they are not only going to have game ratings and maturity ratings on game, but they'll be putting addiction ratings as well. "Warning, this game is highly addictive. Play responsibly."
It's one thing to sit and play an instance in WoW for 4 hours because it just takes that long. It's another to go to a cyber cafe, sit down and play for almost 50 hours straight. Call me crazy, but you would think that the guy's family would say "hey, where the heck is ......?"
Now granted, I don't know much about the culture of South Korea, but it still seems a little strange to me. If we have any members from South Korea, can you please tell me how something like this could happen? I thought that families were closely knit, and someone not coming home unless they are away for a trip or something was inexcusable, and disrespectful to your family. Care to enlighten me?
-SaxyCorp
Quote:SEOUL, South Korea (Reuters) -- A South Korean man who played computer games for 50 hours almost non-stop died of heart failure minutes after finishing his mammoth session in an Internet cafe, authorities said on Tuesday.
The 28-year-old man, identified only by his family name Lee, had been playing online battle simulation games at the cybercafe in the southeastern city of Taegu, police said.
Lee had planted himself in front of a computer monitor to play on-line games on August 3. He only left the spot over the next three days to go to the toilet and take brief naps on a makeshift bed, they said.
"We presume the cause of death was heart failure stemming from exhaustion," a Taegu provincial police official said by telephone.
Lee had recently quit his job to spend more time playing games, the daily JoongAng Ilbo reported after interviewing former work colleagues and staff at the Internet cafe.
After he failed to return home, Lee's mother asked his former colleagues to find him. When they reached the cafe, Lee said he would finish the game and then go home, the paper reported.
He died a few minutes later, it said.
South Korea, one of the most wired countries in the world, has a large and highly developed game industry.
Just a little bit crazy, don't you think? This is the 4th or 5th time I've read something like this coming out of South Korea. Next thing that you know, they are not only going to have game ratings and maturity ratings on game, but they'll be putting addiction ratings as well. "Warning, this game is highly addictive. Play responsibly."
It's one thing to sit and play an instance in WoW for 4 hours because it just takes that long. It's another to go to a cyber cafe, sit down and play for almost 50 hours straight. Call me crazy, but you would think that the guy's family would say "hey, where the heck is ......?"
Now granted, I don't know much about the culture of South Korea, but it still seems a little strange to me. If we have any members from South Korea, can you please tell me how something like this could happen? I thought that families were closely knit, and someone not coming home unless they are away for a trip or something was inexcusable, and disrespectful to your family. Care to enlighten me?
-SaxyCorp