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The triple suicide in Ghaziabad has raised serious concerns about the “Korean Love Game”, which appears to be an online, task-based romantic game inspired by virtual dating themes
These games typically operate through mobile apps or online platforms where players interact with virtual lovers. (AI Image)
A quiet residential tower in Ghaziabad turned into the site of an unspeakable tragedy in the early hours of the morning. The deaths of three minor sisters by suicide at the Bharat City Society have drawn renewed attention to a disturbing category of online, task-based games that experts say are designed to emotionally manipulate children.
A suicide note recovered from the family’s apartment explicitly referred to a “Korean Love Game“, prompting investigators and child safety specialists to examine how such virtual platforms operate and why they pose a serious risk to minors. Addressed to their parents, the suicide note read, “Mom and Dad, sorry… now you will know how much we loved the game – the Korean Love Game”.
It was around 2 am on Wednesday morning when three sisters, Pakhi (12), Prachi (14) and Vishika (16), walked hand in hand to the balcony and jumped from the 9th floor of their building. Their screams shattered the silence of the night. By morning, the entire neighbourhood was in shock.
The family told investigators that the sisters were extremely close and did everything together like eating, bathing and sleeping in the same room. However, during the Covid-19 pandemic, their behaviour changed drastically. They stopped attending school and became increasingly withdrawn, spending most of their time on their mobile phones.
According to the father, the girls were deeply addicted to an online game. He had tried to delete the game and confiscate their phones, but the addiction had already taken hold.
The incident has once again raised serious concerns about the so-called “Korean Love Game”, a loosely defined category of online, task-based romantic games inspired by Korean pop culture, K-dramas and virtual dating themes. These games typically operate through mobile apps or online platforms where players interact with virtual lovers or anonymous users who communicate in a stylised Korean manner, sending romantic messages and assigning daily tasks.
In the initial stages, tasks appear harmless like chatting continuously, sending photographs or writing messages. Over time, however, the tasks reportedly become increasingly personal and extreme. In some versions of the game, users are encouraged to self-harm, with the final task allegedly linked to death.
Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh: Three minor sisters committed suicide by jumping from the 9th floor of a building in Bharat City Society.The Father of the minors says, “They had told me, ‘Papa, we cannot leave Korean. Korean is our life. Korean is everything to us. You cannot… pic.twitter.com/lPHuJzlMyx
— IANS (@ians_india) February 4, 2026
Investigators believe the structure of these games bears similarities to the now-infamous “Blue Whale” challenge, which involved 50 escalating tasks culminating in suicide. Some reports suggest the Korean Love Game also follows a multi-stage format, with the final task pushing vulnerable users towards fatal actions.
Police sources said preliminary examination of the sisters’ phones indicates prolonged gaming addiction during the pandemic period. The girls appeared to have remained emotionally connected through the game and may have taken the final step together as part of completing the last task.
The game itself does not exist as a single, identifiable app and can be easily accessed online. Children often download it at home, interacting with strangers or automated chatbots. Experts warn that minors are particularly vulnerable as the games are designed to create emotional dependency by mimicking romantic relationships, making it difficult for children to distinguish between virtual interaction and reality.
Authorities are now conducting a forensic analysis of the devices recovered from the flat to identify the exact platform, communication trail and nature of tasks involved.
The country has previously witnessed suicides linked to online gaming, including betting apps and money-based games. However, psychologists warn that romantic, emotion-driven games pose a greater risk to children as they manipulate feelings of love, belonging and validation.
The deaths of the three sisters stand as a grim warning about the dangers of unchecked online exposure. Parents and guardians are being urged to closely monitor children’s mobile phone usage, limit screen time and remain alert to behavioural changes, including secretive online activity, obsessive engagement with virtual identities or sudden emotional withdrawal.
Suicide Helpline. News18. If you or someone you know needs help, call any of these helplines: Aasra (Mumbai) 022-27546669, Sneha (Chennai) 044-24640050, Sumaitri (Delhi) 011-23389090, Cooj (Goa) 0832- 2252525, Jeevan (Jamshedpur) 065-76453841, Pratheeksha (Kochi) 048-42448830, Maithri (Kochi) 0484-2540530, Roshni (Hyderabad) 040-66202000, Lifeline 033-64643267 (Kolkata)
Ghaziabad, India, India
February 04, 2026, 12:52 IST
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