Parents are hiring "anti-bullying uncles" in South Korea

One of the greatest fears and problems for parents today is the bullies their children may encounter at school. The term defines someone who uses superior force or influence to force a person to do something against their will, which is unfortunately more common than it should be in schools around the world.

In South Korea, parents are solving these issues in a somewhat unusual way. There you can hire the "uncle service". The surrogate uncle is usually someone big, strong, and intimidating who promises to solve the problem and ward off malicious colleagues.

The service is growing fast in the country and already has different companies and service packages that range from the basic (accompanying the child to school) to something more elaborate, and of course, much more expensive. It is possible to hire a rental uncle to just show strength and drive away bullies, and there are also companies that offer the service of reporting abuse cases. Then the strategy is to try to negotiate with the parents of the child who is committing the abuse cases so that the videos do not leak to the school or the authorities.

There is also the possibility of threatening parents in the workplace by reversing the game. The service still divides opinions among Koreans, as some believe it may be the solution that schools are not giving students; On the other hand, some believe that the service is just another form of violence to confront violence. And putting out fire with gasoline may not be the best solution, Zé Neto and Cristiano would say.

The fact is that bullying is relatively common in South Korea, as about 1 in 10 students reported being abused by their peers, according to a 2013 survey by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in South Korea. Precisely for this reason, companies are charging well for the service.

According to the Chosun Ilbo newspaper, rental uncle services are driving the economy due to the widespread popularity. While the basic model can cost about $ 445 a day, in a two-week package, the option to collect evidence is around $ 356. The full service, to confront bully's parents and force the solution of the problem by reversing the situation, is more expensive: $ 1, 780.

This new service offering is noteworthy because it is traditionally handled by the school or parents, not by a third party. But most people who resort to this type of solution claim that the solution comes too late for pressure sufferers. On the other hand, experts debate whether this is the best option, as doing justice with their own hands may not be the right way to handle the issue or give the right message to children, who learn by example.

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