Man Dies After Spending ₩50 Million in a Day on Livestreamers, Accumulating ₩150 Million in Debt

A recent tragedy linked to South Korea's livestream donation culture has once again drawn significant public attention. A male office worker in his 30s became deeply engrossed in financially sponsoring female streamers, reportedly spending as much as ₩50 million (approximately US$36,000) in a single day. He ultimately accumulated ₩150 million (approximately US$108,000) in debt and was later found deceased in his car. His family has since accused multiple streamers and program producers of fraud, bringing the case back into the spotlight.

According to JTBC, the incident occurred in May 2023. The man, identified as 'Mr. A,' passed away, and his family subsequently discovered his extensive debt. The family recently filed a formal complaint with the police, alleging that some streamers improperly induced viewers to donate for profit, which has led to renewed scrutiny of the case.

Mr. A, who was reportedly an ordinary office worker, became deeply engrossed in what is known as "Excel broadcasting" (엑셀 방송). These broadcasts typically feature multiple streamers competing simultaneously, with viewers donating to boost their favored streamer's ranking. Streamers with lower rankings may even face elimination.

To ensure his favorite streamers remained on the program, Mr. A continuously poured in large sums of money, even resorting to taking out loans and accumulating debt to continue his donations, ultimately falling into severe financial crisis.