Revenge by stabbing, beating and burning the “cursed straw doll”…Analysis of 100 Korean purchase reviews (top)

▲Relieve stress by thinking of the person you want to hold a grudge against. Photo/Internet capture posted by the seller of “Cursed Straw Doll”

“Starting at 12:00 a.m., when dark fortunes arose, I prepared fruit, dried noodles, and even alcohol, built an altar, and put photos of bad people in a bag and prayed earnestly.”

A buyer who appears to be a family member of a victim of school violence in South Korea left a review for the “cursed straw doll” (voodoo doll). “Mysteriously, I think it worked. Gossip has come up about the three people who bullied my child, and I feel ashamed.” Regarding one, progress was slow.

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▲Relieve stress by thinking of the person you want to hold a grudge against. Photo/Internet capture posted by the seller of “Cursed Straw Doll”

“Starting at 12:00 a.m., when dark fortunes arose, I prepared fruit, dried noodles, and even alcohol, built an altar, and put photos of bad people in a bag and prayed earnestly.”

A buyer who appears to be a family member of a victim of school violence in South Korea left a review for the “cursed straw doll” (voodoo doll). “It seems to have had a strange effect. Gossip has been spread about the three people who bullied my child, and I feel ashamed.The investigation into one of them, which had been slow to progress, is now more active than before.” “However, we are still far from fully atoning for our sins, so we are still cursing the two of them,” the seller responded. “Most of the customers who purchased this product seem to have had strange lives. Honestly, I feel sad that this product is selling so well.”

A small straw doll is made so that the object of the person’s grudge is put in a pot with a nail, frozen, and burned along with the bag of curses. The number of customers seeking “cursed straw dolls” is increasing. Dozens of online stores are selling it at affordable prices of less than 10,000 won (approximately 1,100 yen), and it is a huge success. Large, human-sized scarecrows are sometimes delivered from overseas (China). “This product is not 100% guaranteed to be effective. We recommend that you use it to relieve stress and stabilize your mind and body.” Why and for whom do they order the “cursed straw doll”? Out of hundreds of reviews, we selected and analyzed 100 that revealed the purpose and circumstances of the purchase. This document contains information about the chronic evils of Korean society.

■From workplace bullying to apartment noise problems

Most of the cursed targets that led to the purchase of the “Cursed Straw Doll” were targets against whom it would be difficult to exact revenge directly. There’s no need to curse if you can get revenge. The largest percentage of complaints were directed at their boss at work (43%). Although there are institutional mechanisms in place, such as reporting power harassment, there are many cases in which filing a complaint feels like a burden, and it is difficult to resolve all cases, as there may be ambiguous work-related conflicts that cannot be determined to be bullying. “I keep it in a drawer in my office and punch it once every time I get irritated.” A significant percentage of respondents also prayed for their ex-boyfriend to break up (28%). “My wish has come true. A hopeless man. It seems that he was dumped the other day, but I hope he will be deceived by a woman who is looking for money, and that he will be sick for the rest of his life and die.”

The number of fraudsters who have not been caught by the judicial authorities (16%) is also a major factor in why “The Cursed Straw Doll” is a huge hit. According to the Supreme Public Prosecutors Office, the number of domestic fraud crimes increased from 298,586 in 2021 to 330,390 in 2022, an increase of 7.5% in the second quarter of this year (April-June period) compared to the same period last year. And then there is the noise problem in apartments (4%), which can be said to be the most common complaint in Korea. This is due to overcrowding and selfishness, which are difficult to deal with. The damage is serious enough to lead to murder, but if you go to the victim directly to protest, you may end up being charged with stalking. That’s exactly why I want a “cursed straw doll.” “I have been taking tranquilizers and medication for panic disorder due to noise problems at my apartment building that have been going on for seven years.I have asked for help, prepared presents, and complained about my situation, but my patience has reached its limit.I hope God will punish me.” ”

■”It’s ridiculous, but there’s no way I can’t relieve stress.”

After writing personal information such as the name of the person being cursed and the details of the curse on the enclosed paper, place it in a bag and hang it around the doll’s neck. And carry out some sort of punishment. Of course it’s just a superstition. Most of the buyers were also aware that such black magic itself was “ridiculous to begin with.” In many cases, we request that the product name be removed from the destination card attached to the delivery box before shipping. However, the majority of reviews said, “Whether the curse works or not, it definitely relieves stress.” “This is the first time I have repurchased something other than food so many times.”

Chosun Ilbo / Chosun Ilbo Japanese version

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