When bets are made on man's life
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By Nam Hyun-woo
When Sung Jae-gi, the leader of an antifeminist group, threatened to jump into the Han River last Friday, there was betting about whether “Sung will jump before 7 p.m. Friday” on a mobile gambling application named Doni Cash.
Around 3,000 users wagered their cyber money.
This was when Sung, 46, risked his life for what he and his group claimed “a performance to raise public attention on reverse discrimination against men.”
What’s lamentable is that his life became an object of entertainment for gamblers and some others, if not for most Koreans.
Police discovered his body under a Han River bridge on Monday, three days after his staged jump into the river.
The tragedy ignited a debate over the depreciating value for human life. When he posted his suicide notice on his Twitter account a day before he jumped, netizens provoked him into the deadly attempt instead of trying to stop him.
One netizen wrote: “I will gladly send some condolence money before your altar,” or “You’ll be an idiot if you can’t keep your words.”
In reaction, Sung said: “I know this is childish. But, I will do it for a greater cause.” His last Twitter post, with a photo of him falling into the river, reads: “Sorry for my folly. I’ll repent for the last of my life.”
At least, Sung seemed to vaguely feel that his jump would be senseless. But he failed to realize the stupidity of the jump.
The case was closed with the discovery of his body. But his death leaves an open question over whether his cause was worth him risking his life.
Apparently, his attempt to steal the show had partially succeeded. Not only local news outlets but also foreign media, including Al Jazeera, covered his stunt-turned-suicide.
But a considerable number of netizens and citizens still consider Sung’s death nothing more than a gossip or a black comedy, rather than grieving his death.
“Sung has gone. Gone mad,” a Twitter user commented, making fun of him. Many other netizens showed disrespect for Sung and his behavior.
Byun Hee-jae, one of the most vocal online commentators in the country, rebuked the insensitivity of local netizens in the wake of the tragedy and urged them to “be quite and pay condolence to Sung.”
Sung should have realized that stealing the show is not worth risking his life. He cannot deflect criticism for his reckless behavior.
But, our society owes him an apology for abetting or, maybe, driving him to death by being indifferent to human life.