A heartbreaking story of a 3rd grade “Geum-jjok-ie” showing severe symptoms of game addiction was revealed on “My Golden Kids.”
In the Channel A episode of “My Golden Kids” aired on the 15th, a couple raising two sons, aged 10 and 7, appeared on the show.
The mother shared that although she had sought help for parenting issues in the past, the eldest son’s impulse control problems have only worsened over time.
In the observation footage, “Geum-jjok-ie” was in constant conflict with his parents over smartphone usage. When prevented from playing a specific game, he exploded with emotion, reacting violently, screaming, and even exhibiting aggressive behavior.
The parents revealed they were even more shocked after checking their credit card statements. It turned out that “Geum-jjok-ie” had spent 1.44 million won on game items in just two weeks.
Jang Young-ran couldn’t hide her surprise, saying, “This is too much. You must be so worried.” Dr. Oh Eun-young pointed out, “Because there is a direct reward based on pleasure, it is difficult to shake off the temptation once they have tasted it.”
The issues didn’t stop there. “Geum-jjok-ie” exhibited dangerous behavior, such as forcing his sleeping younger sibling awake or shaking them violently. He did not stop even when the sibling cried, showing aggression without any emotional control.
Oh Eun-young expressed deep concern, stating, “Reaching this point means it is indeed an addiction.” She added, “Think about drug addiction. If they are stopped, they will push aside a spouse or a child. It is a state where they can only think about the act itself.”
She further analyzed, “When in a dopamine state driven by pleasure and reward circuits, they cannot think of anything else at that moment. He is looking for a tool for pleasure. He only thinks about waking his sibling regardless of whether they are hurting or sleeping, treating them like a character in a game and attacking them.”
She warned, “If this state continues, he may lose the ability to be considerate, understand others, or even experience empathy for another’s pain.”
Meanwhile, the episode also showed a distressing scene where “Geum-jjok-ie” burst into tears and collapsed after things didn’t go his way while playing with friends.
