I discovered a bizarre corner of the internet today. There are multiple South Korean YouTubers who call themselves “drunk driver hunters.” They prowl the roads, searching for drivers they suspect are drunk. Then they call the police and chase the car while live-streaming the ensuing pursuit. Obviously, the authorities are not thrilled with this dangerous trend. One of these drunk driver chasers was just charged with “joint intimidation” after a driver fleeing him crashed and died.

The man, only identified by the surname “Choi” in court documents, was out looking for drunk drivers last September. The 41-year-old YouTuber spotted a BMW crossover and suspected the driver was drunk. So he called the police and began to follow the BMW. But that’s not all.

While Choi was live-streaming his chase, some of his fans decided to join in the fun. Eleven of Choi’s subscribers, in two cars, came out to chase the suspected drunk driver.

The 35-year-old man driving the BMW naturally wanted to lose the bizarre convoy on his tail. He sped up, but they stuck to him, so he drove faster. At 3:50 AM, he smashed into a trailer parked at a gas station. The BMW burst into flames. The vehicle was completely destroyed, and emergency personnel took the driver to a hospital, where he later died.

Authorities were not thrilled with the vigilantes chasing down the suspected drunk driver. With no actual training in identifying drunk driving, they likely made the situation worse. According to the translation by the Korea JoongAng Daily, a police official said, “We will examine the exact causal relationship between the YouTuber’s pursuit and the accident.”

YouTube vigilante charged with “intimidation” of suspected drunk driver

It’s been six months since the BMW driver’s untimely death. The Gwangju District Prosecutors’ Office finally handed down an indictment in Choi’s case. I’d say he got off fairly easy. He wasn’t charged with manslaughter or anything of the like. His charges include “joint intimidation under the Punishment of Violence Act.” He won’t face any detention—so no prison time.

What’s wild is this isn’t Choi’s only brush with the law. In December 2023, he was accused of “unlawfully confining a sober driver.” How? He wouldn’t let the driver exit their car. The prosecutor said, “We will respond firmly to crimes that cause danger to an unspecified number of people under the pretext of vigilantism.”

Vigilantism is the right word. Hopefully, Choi has learned his lesson and will leave police work to the professionals from now on.