Love Child

Love Child explores the growing issue of Internet addiction through the lens of one couple on trial in South Korea for the negligent death of their infant daughter due to their obsessive online gaming. In 2010, a South Korean infant named Sarang died of malnutrition. This tragic death became an international news story when the circumstances surrounding it were revealed: the parents neglected their child for an online fantasy game. The film presents the full story behind what became the first trial involving Internet addiction, one that delivered a ruling that set a global precedent in a world where virtual is the new reality. Filmmaker Valerie Veatch skillfully weaves a tale of personal tragedy together with social commentary, shining a light on how embracing new technology can have unforeseen negative consequences. Juxtaposing footage of Prius, the game the parents obsessively played daily, with interviews from a collection of experts, Love Child conveys how intoxicating the Internet can be, and how easily the lines between real life and virtual reality can blur. (jakelijan virallinen teksti)