Carrot knife fad: harmful implications in knife-fearing nation
A recent trend of fiddling with a knife toy called a "carrot knife" among young teens is raising deep concerns regarding its potential impact on the development of violent behaviors in children.
Available in various colour schemes and made from fluorescent materials, these plastic knives -- shaped like carrots -- are highly sought after by elementary and middle school teenagers. Their prices range from 1,000 won ($0.76) to 2,000 won.
Despite having a minimum age requirement of 14 or above to purchase, they are readily available for purchase, regardless of age, both from online stores and stationery shops in school areas.
Carrot knife-related content has gained widespread attention on social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok, where videos show children spinning and flipping the knife, flaunting various moves that captivate young viewers.
“Half of my classmates have carrot knives,” an elementary school student 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 carrot knife frenzy is not 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 shared her daughter's persistent request for a carrot knife. 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 reads, “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 each other 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, seeking parental assistance in preventing students from purchasing and possessing carrot knives.
To curb the trend, the statement highlighted the need for parents to shield children from the negative influence of this stabbing-imitation
trend on children, especially in light of serious societal concerns related to knife attacks in the nation.
No Kyung-min
The Korea Herald
Asia News Network
