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Dear Readers of the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Website,

My name is Youm Jung-A, one of the participants in the On/Off Special Reports, whose internet had been taken off for a week.

For some time, I have been worried about my two sons in primary school, who were spending more time playing online games and watching TV, rather then reading books.

So when I came across a poster in our tower block elevator about a community meeting organized by the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳, asking for volunteers to spend a week without the internet, I was intrigued.

Up to now, I had been a heavy user of the internet, using it as much as my children and I went to the meeting knowing it would be really hard to spend a whole week without it.

But despite these worries, I decided to take part in the project because it seemed like an opportunity during which my two boys could finally make time for reading and to go out of the house to play.

The clock ticks more slowly

Having taken part, I found it was indeed very inconvenient to live a week without the internet, especially in a country as connected as South Korea.

My country relies heavily on the net for searching information, shopping, banking, and even for tutoring using the webcam.

Unable to order things online during the disconnection, I walked the cold streets to the supermarket and hauled bundles of shopping bags back home.

I also had to make numerous visits to the bank. I found myself watching the news only once a day on the TV, less frequently then before when I could check the news throughout the day on the internet.

Without the net, the clock seemed to tick in slow motion, the needle moving only at a turtle's pace.

But if there was one good thing about the experience, it was that my family could come to a higher level in communication and understanding.

I realized that we had been spending too much time with the computer and not enough with each other.

Everyone should try it

As a home keeper, normally after finishing the house chores I spend the rest of the morning surfing the net. But without the internet, I found myself calling my neighbours, having them over for tea and to chat.

The absence of the internet was also pushing my kids out of the house, into the playground with their friends.

During the one week period, my house suddenly became busy with visitors and friends.

For my children, they spent so much time playing outside, and when they came home they started reading more books- as there was nothing else left to do.

In the evenings my family talked about what we did during the day, and also played board games in the remaining time. Unlike computers, playing games the old-fashioned way was more fun and we could continue with our conversations while playing.

To be truthful, living without the internet is a big inconvenience. But it's a discomfort which my family learned to put up with.

The week has provided us with valuable family time, during which I feel we truly communicated with each other. I think everybody should try spending a week without the internet.

Sincerely,

Youm Jung-A