"4 Dead" The Trend of Stealing Kia and Hyundai Cars in the US: What Is This Game About?

A Kia vehicle damaged in a traffic accident on Route 33 in New York State, USA. (Photo by WIVB)

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] A trend of boasting about stealing Korean cars is spreading among American teenagers. As a challenge of filming the process of stealing Korean cars and uploading it on TikTok becomes popular, the deaths of teenagers imitating this challenge have shocked American society. A class-action lawsuit movement by victims of stolen cars, claiming that "defective cars" were made and sold, is also spreading across the United States.

On the morning of the 24th (local time), a vehicle carrying six teenagers on Route 33 in Buffalo, New York, crashed while speeding, resulting in four deaths and two injuries. The 16-year-old driver was charged with possession of stolen goods and unauthorized use of a vehicle, according to The Washington Post (WP).

The crashed vehicle had been reported stolen, and the police believe the teenagers were participating in the Kia car theft challenge trending on TikTok when the accident occurred.

Earlier, in Columbus, Ohio, two 14-year-old boys died in a traffic accident while driving a stolen Hyundai. Duane Mabry, Columbus Police Chief, said, "For kids, this (stealing Korean cars) is a game, and showing off how many cars they can steal in a day seems to have become a symbol of power and status."

This challenge targets certain Kia models produced before 2021, exploiting the use of metal keys and the absence of anti-theft devices to steal cars and film themselves speeding in the stolen vehicles.

Videos tagged with the hashtag "Kia Boys," referring to teenagers who specifically steal Kia cars, have gone viral, increasing theft incidents. Videos demonstrating methods such as removing car key holders and using USB cables to start the engine have been criticized as "crime manuals."

In response, Kia expressed concern on the 27th, stating, "Vehicle theft is increasing in certain areas," and announced that it is developing software to protect the affected vehicles. Hyundai also said it offers paid security upgrades to owners and sells security kits nationwide at dealerships to prevent theft.

Victims have filed class-action lawsuits against Hyundai and Kia, claiming that design defects led to the thefts, further escalating the controversy.

According to TechCrunch, class-action lawsuits against the two companies have been filed in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and recently in the Orange County court in California. CNBC reported that more than one-third of vehicle thefts in St. Petersburg, Florida, are suspected to be related to the TikTok challenge.

Victims criticized Hyundai and Kia for failing to warn owners about the theft risk after the challenge became popular. They stated in the complaint, "Hyundai and Kia blatantly prioritize profits over customer safety and security," and argued, "Since the vehicle defects are widely known, theft incidents are unlikely to stop without active intervention from the companies."

Local governments have also warned of possible lawsuits. The city of St. Louis sent a letter last month to Hyundai and Kia, indicating that if they do not take measures to resolve the issue, legal action will be pursued, according to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).

This is not the first time a crime challenge has gone viral on TikTok. In September last year, challenges such as "hitting teachers" and "chest slapping" became social issues. TikTok stated, "Videos violating our policies will be deleted immediately upon discovery."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.