‘Carrot Knives’ Stir Controversy Among School Kids and Worried Parents

Elementary and Middle School Students ‘Carrot Knife’ Trend
Plastic Toy Knife
Stabbing Play Prevails

A plastic toy knife, nicknamed ‘carrot knife’ due to its resemblance to a carrot, is popular among elementary and middle school students. The ‘carrot knife’ is a foldable pocket knife.

However, parents and educational authorities are reportedly frustrated by this toy. Although it’s a toy, they are concerned about children who carry and pretend to stab others with this knife-shaped object.

Parent A was shocked when her son returned from school and suddenly pretended to stab her with a carrot knife. In elementary school classrooms, playstabbing with carrot knives is trending.

The concern is no small matter, as a culture of mimicking knife attacks has prevailed following numerous incidents involving knives last summer. If this continues, children could become desensitized to real knives or knife attacks.

Despite the concerns, carrot knives are sold in stationery stores near elementary schools and online shopping malls. They are also not expensive, priced at 1,000 to 2,000 won (approximately $0.85 to $1.70).

In response to this situation, some schools have taken measures against carrot knives. A middle school in Gyeonggi Province sent a notice asking students not to bring carrot knives. The Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education also sent a document to elementary and middle schools in the area, asking them to be cautious about students possessing carrot knives.

Netizens who learned of the situation reacted with comments such as “Please ban the manufacture and distribution,” “I wonder what the person who made the carrot knife was thinking,” and “I’m scared that those kids might actually stab someone with a knife in anger later,” and “Raising kids these days must be really tough.”

Meanwhile, videos related to the carrot knife are gaining massive popularity on TikTok, a platform widely used by teenagers. One video creator demonstrated how to handle a carrot knife, saying, “If you can’t do this at school these days, you’re out.”

By. Han Ji Myeong