In 2018, a horrific murder committed by Kim Seong-soo shocked South Korea. He brutally killed a man working at an internet cafe in Gangseo, a district in western Seoul. This case, widely known as the "Gangseo Internet Cafe Murder Case," remains infamous among Koreans.
The victim was working at the internet cafe when Kim, a customer, asked him to clean his table. The victim ignored the request, and an argument broke out between them. According to Kim, the victim mocked him, claiming his father was a police officer and belittling Kim as powerless and worthless unless he could take a life. Kim said this triggered memories of a life filled with neglect and humiliation. At that moment, he decided he no longer wanted to endure his existence. Enraged, he resolved to kill the victim and then take his own life. Instead, he carried out the vicious attack but did not follow through on his own death.
When I first heard about this case, I felt a deep fear for the society I lived in. I watched Kim’s press interview and was struck by his demeanour. He admitted he fully understood how horrific his actions were and acknowledged that the victim's family would never forgive him. He repeatedly apologised, stating that his crime was inexcusable. What caught my attention most was his claim that others had always ignored him and no longer wanted to live his life. Unlike other criminals I had seen in media coverage, Kim’s words didn’t feel like an excuse or an attempt to justify his actions. His case stood out to me.
Despite Kim’s insistence that he was not mentally ill, his family petitioned for a reduced sentence on the grounds of mental illness. However, a specialist confirmed that Kim was mentally sound and fully aware of his actions. This left me wondering—how could he commit such a heinous act? What drove him to murder?
There can never be a justification for taking a life. Yet, his statements lingered in my mind. The clarity and brevity of his reasoning were unsettling. We all know what it feels like to be ignored or isolated by others. But Kim’s fury wasn’t directed at a single individual—it was aimed at society as a whole. This case also raised questions about the socio-economic backgrounds of offenders, as many come from lower-income households. Perhaps some of us were fortunate enough to avoid circumstances that might have led us down a similar path, but he wasn’t. Could it be that society, in some way, played a role in creating him?
While researching this case, I came across a blog written by Namgung In, the doctor who treated the victim. In his posts, Dr Namgung vividly recounted the moments he fought to save the victim’s life but ultimately failed. He described the horrific injuries the victim sustained and reflected on the broader implications of such violence. He wrote:
"It seems fundamentally inevitable that horrific murders like this will continue to happen in our society. The victim could have been anyone. I sincerely hope we can prevent such crimes from recurring. If you sense lethargy in my words, it’s because this crime reflects the lethargy we all share as a society."
His words deeply resonated with me. They made me question not only the crime itself but also the societal conditions that may have contributed to it.
