South Korean Brothers Stab Grandmother 61 Times in Front of Paralyzed Grandfather; Court Cites 'Accidental' Nature

A shocking family murder case in South Korea has drawn widespread condemnation. In August 2021, two teenage brothers in Daegu fatally stabbed their 77-year-old grandmother in front of their 93-year-old grandfather, a brutal act that sparked public outrage.

The 18-year-old elder brother, identified as A, and his 16-year-old younger brother, B, reportedly resented their grandmother's long-standing discipline and scolding over daily matters. Before the incident, A had even messaged B, suggesting, “Let’s kill Grandma,” and searched online for methods of murder.

The day before the murder, on the afternoon of Sunday, August 29, the brothers were scolded by their grandmother for not using their 'school lunch card' to buy food at a convenience store. Since their parents' divorce in 2012, their grandmother had been raising the two grandsons alone, relying on low-income subsidies and financial support from her daughter.

The grandmother disapproved of her grandsons' constant immersion in mobile games, often admonishing them, “If you put as much effort into studying as you do into gaming, you’d be top of your class.” She also sternly told them, “You must move out when you turn 20.” While her intention was to encourage them to study hard and become independent, it instilled fear in A. He later confessed that whenever his grandmother mentioned them moving out, he was overcome with immense anxiety about “where to live in the future.”

At 10:26 p.m. on the night of the incident, A, upset that his grandmother wanted him to use his school lunch card to buy food, messaged his brother B, “Let’s kill Grandma.” He then searched online for “how to kill someone in one go.”