Dark Origins

The Frog Boys and Children (2011)


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In this episode, we delve into one of South Korea’s most infamous unsolved mysteries: the Frog Boys Murders. What began as a simple day of adventure for five young boys on March 26, 1991, turned into a decades-long nightmare filled with unanswered questions, police missteps, and lingering grief.


The boys—aged 9 to 13—left their homes in Daegu, South Korea, to search for salamander eggs on the slopes of Mt. Waryong. But they never returned. What followed was a desperate and highly publicized search, with the entire country gripped by their mysterious disappearance.


For 11 years, their fate remained unknown until 2002, when their skeletal remains were discovered in a remote area of the mountain. Initial reports suggested they may have died from exposure, but forensic examinations indicated blunt force trauma to their skulls, pointing toward foul play.


We explore the botched investigation, theories surrounding their deaths—including speculation about a possible military cover-up—and the lasting impact on South Korean society. From grieving families demanding justice to the chilling possibility that their killer (or killers) may still be out there, this case remains one of South Korea’s most haunting mysteries.


Join us as we dissect the evidence, examine the theories, and reflect on the heartbreaking legacy of the Frog Boys Murders.


Sources:

“In 1991 Five Boys Went Searching for Frogs. Their Bodies Were Discovered 11 Years Later.” Mamamia, 26 Aug. 2019, www.mamamia.com.au/frog-boys/.


“Intrigue, Scandal, Heartbreak: The Case of South Korea’s Missing “Frog Boys.”” CNA, www.channelnewsasia.com/cnainsider/intrigue-scandal-heartbreak-case-south-korea-missing-frog-boys-774406.


“KSIS : What Happened to the Frog Boys?” KSTATION TV, 13 Nov. 2024, kstationtv.com/2024/11/13/ksis-what-happened-to-the-frog-boys/?lang=en. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.


Wikipedia Contributors. “Frog Boys.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Jan. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frog_Boys.

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Dark OriginsBy Gabriela Ralph and Rob Reem

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