"Please Stop"...Relentless Beating in Yongin School Violence Video Triggers Torrent of Outrage

One-sided Assault and Collective Bystanding
Online Outrage over Yongin School Violence Video
Some Raise Suspicions of Fabrication and Dispute over Authenticity

A video of school violence, reportedly filmed in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, has spread online, sparking nationwide outrage.

On February 8, a video allegedly filmed at a school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, depicting school violence was uploaded to various online communities and social networking services (SNS). In the video, a student is seen pleading, “Please don’t do this,” asking for the attack to stop. Despite the pleas, the perpetrator repeatedly strikes the student’s face, ignoring the requests. The victim, unable to properly resist, is assaulted and eventually collapses to the ground, hitting their head hard.

On the 8th, a school violence video reportedly filmed at a school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, was uploaded to various online communities and social networking services (SNS). Screenshot from SNS.

What shocked viewers even more was the attitude of the surrounding students. Some students filmed the assault while laughing, and others appeared to encourage or condone the violence by mocking the victim. A citizen who shared the video stated, “This is an incident that happened at a school in Yongin, where a student is being unilaterally assaulted. I hope the perpetrator’s identity is revealed and that strong punishment is enforced.” The citizen also expressed anger, saying, “As a parent, this is absolutely unacceptable.”

Public Opinion Grows: “Not Just School Violence, But a Serious Crime”

Following the spread of the video, criticism has poured in online, with comments such as, “Even the students who filmed and laughed are perpetrators,” “This isn’t just an assault, it’s close to attempted murder,” and “This shouldn’t end with school disciplinary action.” There is growing concern, especially about the scene where the victim’s head hits the ground hard, with some warning of the possibility of serious aftereffects, such as cerebral hemorrhage, or even death.

On the 8th, a video of school bullying reportedly filmed at a school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, was posted on several online communities and social networking services (SNS). Screenshot from SNS

This incident has also brought renewed attention to a previous case in Japan involving the exposure of school violence videos. In Japan, after a group assault video was released on SNS, not only the perpetrators but also the students who filmed and distributed the footage faced criminal charges and severe social sanctions. At the time, Japanese society shared the perception that “school violence is not a trivial deviation but a clear crime,” and moved to improve related systems. Korean netizens are similarly calling for “strict punishment for those who film or stand by, just as in Japan,” and emphasizing, “There needs to be a clear message that school violence becomes a lifelong stigma.”

Concerns About Secondary Harm and Questions Over Video Authenticity 

When the video was first released, it was reported that the victim’s face had not been blurred. This led to criticism online, including, “Why wasn’t the victim’s face covered?” and “Reporting the abuse is causing additional harm,” with growing concern over potential secondary victimization. As the video spread rapidly, especially via SNS, debates about the authenticity of the footage also arose. In a Yongin mothers’ online community, a post claimed that the video might have been generated by artificial intelligence (AI), leading to comments such as, “Fact-checking is needed first,” and “Careless sharing can cause further harm.”

On the other hand, some netizens shared screenshots of comments in which the victim reportedly requested the video’s removal, asserting that this indicates the footage was of a real incident. With reports that the victim directly asked for the video to be taken down, more people believe the video depicts an actual event rather than being fabricated. Meanwhile, some users attempted to identify the filming location based on clues in the video’s background. On the evening of the same day, around 8 PM, a user posted an article titled “Yongin School Violence,” focusing on a red brick building visible from across the rooftop where the assault took place. Using the street view function of a map application, the user suggested that the building appeared to be a particular church, raising the possibility that the assault occurred on the rooftop of a nearby building.

When asked, “At first, I thought it was an AI-generated video, but have you found the actual location?” the user responded, “I suspect the most likely location is the rooftop of a certain karaoke building.” Other users reacted by saying, “Now the location is being pinpointed,” and “The perpetrators must be caught and held accountable,” urging for the apprehension of those responsible.

However, some have cautioned that identifying the location or the people involved before the facts are confirmed could lead to further problems.

According to the police, the case was already investigated in March 2024 after a report by the victim student, and two perpetrators were booked on charges of joint assault under the Act on the Punishment of Violent Acts and referred to the prosecution. The police also stated that two students who filmed and uploaded the video to SNS were referred to the prosecution on charges of defamation under the Information and Communications Network Act. Due to concerns about defamation of the victim, the police have reportedly requested the Korea Communications Commission to delete the video circulating on the internet recently.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.