In Korea’s hyper-connected digital space, it is increasingly common to encounter a familiar scene on social media: so-called “cyber wrecker” videos that expose the personal information of those involved in public controversy. Such videos are often surrounded by thousands of supportive comments. For many commenters, the speed of this online punishment, compared with waiting for the legal process to run its course, is exactly its appeal. They call it “cider.”



In this environment, anger is the emotion that can spread, gather attention, and be consumed with astonishing speed. The conclusion often points in one direction: “stricter punishment.” However, once the spectacle of punishment in the public arena ends, does society actually become safer or fairer?

Why Are We Obsessed with Punishment?

People’s desire for strict punishment cannot simply be seen as a wish to blame others. At its heart lies a deep frustration with, and distrust of, the justice system.



When we see news about a drunk driver getting off with probation under lenient sentencing guidelines, or leaders responsible for major disasters receiving only minor fines, we feel a deep sense of helplessness. As the belief grows that the law is not on the victim’s side, anger can become a form of legitimate protest against an unfair world and a desperate call for basic justice. In the end, asking for stricter punishment reflects a strong desire to live in a fair society.

Is Punishment Always the Solution?

However, when all our energy goes into “punishing the culprit,” society can lose sight of what really matters. The moment we focus only on blaming and judging one person, the systemic issues that allowed the problem to happen in the first place disappear from view.



For example, when major workplace accidents or safety disasters occur, public anger quickly turns toward the supervisor on-site or an individual’s mistake. Of course, mistakes should be punished, but if we consider a case closed just by sending one person to prison, the weak safety laws, budget cuts, and gaps in government oversight remain completely ignored.

While harsh punishment gives people a temporary feeling of justice, it gives those in charge an easy excuse: “We punished the person, so we did our job.” If people don’t fix the root cause, similar tragedies are likely to recur in different circumstances.

Becoming a Zero-Tolerance Society

The side effects of this society driven by anger and punishment are serious. In Korea’s tight-knit online community, the impulse to attack others is moving from the high-profile cases into our everyday culture, creating a “zero-tolerance” environment that refuses to forgive a single mistake or a different opinion.

A clear example is cancel culture, in which an old comment or a minor mistake can ruin someone’s reputation overnight. The fear of becoming the next target of online outrage makes society more restrictive, leaving people less willing to speak confidently.

Rather than understanding different viewpoints and improving society through healthy, open discussion, people devote huge amounts of energy to watching and judging one another.

From “Who to Blame” to “What to Fix”

Punishment is a vital aspect of upholding justice. However, it cannot be the only solution. It should be the starting point of a broader approach towards achieving true justice.



For anger to result in meaningful progress rather than merely generating more hatred, our questions must change. Rather than pointing the camera only at the individual being punished, we should illuminate the flaws in the laws and systems lurking behind the incident.

Shifting our focus from ‘who to blame’ to ‘what to fix’ is an essential first step toward a safer and more sustainable society in place of one driven by the quick dopamine hits of hatred and punitiveness.

 

Reporter

Jaeho Lim

limjaeho4119@seoultech.ac.kr

Reporter 임재호

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• e-mail : limjaeho4119@seoultech.ac.kr