We know that Prius owners love their cars. Sometimes they talk endlessly about them, their great fuel efficiency, how cool the all-electric mode is, and so forth.
But could you get so enthusiastic about Prius that you'd let your own child starve to death?
Good. We didn't think so.
2010 Toyota Prius
And, no, it's not what you're thinking. This has nothing to do with the iconic hybrid-electric Toyota Prius.
Instead, in a bizarre quirk of language, a South Korean 3-D fantasy game is called Prius Online.
According to CNN, Kim Yun-jeong, 25, and her partner, Kim Jae-beom, 41, left their 3-month-old daughter Kim Sa-rang unattended during marathon sessions in the virtual world--in which they raised a virtual girl named Anima, who gained magical powers as she grew.
Kim Jae-beom will serve two years in prison, while a similar sentence was suspended for Kim Yun-jeong, who is expecting the couple's second daughter in August. Both defendants appeared contrite in court.
CNN notes that the highly publicized case has contributed to a growing debate in South Korea over gaming addiction and its effects on the larger society, in particular those people who are already marginally connected or estranged.
[CNN]
