[SBS Star] Gong Yoo Shares How Mobile Game Apps "Gaslighted" Him into Downloading Them

Actor Gong Yoo shared a humorous account of how mobile game apps “gaslighted” him, subtly convincing him to keep downloading them one after another.

On November 9, a popular YouTube show "Pinggyego," featuring Gong Yoo and actress Seo Hyun-jin, was released.
During the show, the host—and Gong Yoo's close friend—entertainer Yu Jae Seok said to him, "I heard you've got around eight games installed on your phone now."

Gong Yoo nodded and explained, "I recently installed an English learning app that I use every day. If you subscribe, you don't get ads, but since I didn't, game ads kept popping up. Eventually, I gave in and got 'sold' on quite a few of them." 

Laughing, he added, "I feel like I got gaslighted. I kept seeing the ads and eventually got brainwashed. I'd install a game, delete it, then install another when a new ad popped up—until I ended up with eight games. But I'm done falling for their tricks now." 

Gong Yoo also noted, "These games are all built to make you spend money, but I have a strict rule: no in-app purchases. They really try to get you to spend." 
To this, Yu Jae Seok asked Gong Yoo, "So, you haven't given in?" and Gong Yoo replied, "Well, I've slipped a few times," admitting with a big laugh.

The actor continued, "I do set a limit, though. When it gets to the point where I'm spending too much, I just quit the game. It feels good at first when you buy things in the game, but later, you're hit with regret. It feels like you fell for a marketing trick or something, like you've lost to them." 

Another host Yang Se Chan agreed, saying, "Yeah, I totally get it. The characters on the ad always struggle with something that's really easy. I kept thinking, 'How can they not complete this?' and before I knew it, I ended up downloading the game to give it a try myself."

Then, he added, "But yeah, you're doing well by quitting the game when you need to!"

(Credit= '뜬뜬 DdeunDdeun' YouTube)  

(SBS Star)