‘Carrot knife’ trend among teens in S. Korea sparks concerns over potential violent behaviour
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Carrot knife-related content has gained widespread attention on social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
PHOTOS: SCREENGRABS FROM JUNO_CRAFT/TIKTOK
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SEOUL – A recent trend of fiddling with a knife toy called a “carrot knife” among young teens in South Korea is raising deep concerns regarding its potential impact on the development of violent behaviour in children.
The plastic knife toy, which is shaped like a carrot, is made of fluorescent materials and available in different colours.
It is highly sought after by elementary and middle-school students and costs between 1,000 won (S$1) and 2,000 won.
An individual must be at least 14 years old to buy the knife toy. But it can be bought by anyone from online stores and stationery shops in areas with schools.
Carrot knife-related content has gained widespread attention on social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where videos show children spinning and flipping the toy, flaunting various moves that captivate young viewers.
“Half of my classmates have carrot knives,” an elementary school pupil surnamed Kim in sixth grade said in an interview with The Herald Business.
“I also received it from my friend as a birthday present. Since it’s a fake knife, I think it’s harmless.”
However, the frenzy has not been taken lightly by parents, particularly in a country that has witnessed numerous stabbing incidents recently
In an online community for mothers of young children, an anonymous poster wrote about her daughter’s persistent request for a carrot knife. She said her daughter argued that playing with the toy knife helps relieve stress.
Many comments expressed worries about the toy’s resemblance to a real knife.
One comment read: “I was shocked to discover that the toy closely resembled a box cutter. I wanted to take it away from my son upon learning that some upper elementary students mimicked stabbing at one another for fun.”
In response to the concerns, the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education issued an official statement on Oct 30 to elementary and middle schools within its purview.
It is seeking parental assistance to prevent students from purchasing and possessing carrot knives.
The statement highlighted the need for parents to shield children from the negative influence of this stabbing-imitation trend, especially in the light of serious societal concerns related to knife attacks in the country. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
