Korean YouTuber accused of stabbing YouTube rival to death on stream
Joddoltv/XA Korean YouTuber has died after allegedly being stabbed by his YouTube rival while streaming outside of a Busan courthouse.
A rivalry between two YouTubers ended in a bloody public stabbing following a series of legal disputes over assaulting and insulting each other for the past three years.
Both creators were reportedly bloggers who knew each other and would make videos about their public lives.
On May 9, 2024, a YouTuber in his 50s known as ‘Joddoltv’ was going to attend a court hearing as a victim over damages, with plans to ask for a harsh punishment for his nemesis.
Joddoltv was live streaming on YouTube and discussing the case when out of nowhere, his rival allegedly approached him from behind and started stabbing him at 9:42 AM.
YouTube/JoddoltvAccording to Korea JoongAng Daily, the victim was found in a state of cardiac arrest and was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police were able to apprehend the suspect under two hours later after he had originally escaped in a car. They also said he had purchased a weapon from a Busan supermarket the day before.
Following the attack, the suspect reportedly posted three times on his YouTube channel, first apologizing to his subscribers before taking aim at his rival.
“I apologize to my subscribers who have cared for me and supported me. But I couldn’t possibly forgive someone who tried to destroy other people’s happiness. I won’t make excuses. I will take responsibility for my actions,” he said.
The third post confirmed that he had been arrested in Gyeongju, adding that he regretted “not being able to see the ocean” and thanking his followers for their support.
His channel has seemingly been taken down by YouTube.
Police suspect that the unresolved legal issues motivated the man into allegedly killing his rival, but the investigation is still ongoing.
Following Joddoltv’s death, viewers flocked to his channel to watch one of his last broadcasts to mourn the deceased. It’s since been viewed over 112,000 times.
This isn’t the first time a streamer was violently stabbed during an IRL broadcast. Last year, a Chinese streamer’s hand was cut off after a man began to attack him with a sword.