Candy desires: Seoul holds ‘Energy Nap Contest’ in sleep-deprived South Korea, Life-style Information

SEOUL – Under hazy spring sunshine on Saturday (May 2), tons of of younger Seoulites turned up at a park by the Han River on the invitation of the town authorities to attempt to do one thing many overworked South Koreans by no means get sufficient of – sleep.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government staged its third annual spring occasion, dubbed an influence nap contest, from 3pm, beneath a refreshed set of admission necessities for would-be contributors: put on outfits befitting both a sleeping magnificence or prince, come drained, with a full stomach.

For a metropolis that famously runs on 24-hour purchasing malls, aggressive hustle and iced Americanos, the underlying exhaustion on the garden was palpable.

“Between exam prep and part-time jobs, I survive on three or four hours of sleep a night, patching it up with desk naps during the day,” mentioned Park Jun-seok, who confirmed up draped within the silken, crimson robes of a Joseon Dynasty monarch.

“I’m here to show off my napping skills, and to demonstrate exactly how a king sleeps,” mentioned Park, a 20-year-old college pupil.

Nearby, Yoo Mi-yeon, 24, an English trainer from Ilsan north of Seoul, stood out in an opulent, outsized koala-themed onesie.

“I’ve always suffered from insomnia, I struggle to fall asleep, and wake up easily,” she mentioned. “Koalas are famous for their deep slumber. I came dressed as one hoping to borrow a little of their magic.”

Now in its third consecutive 12 months, the sleep competitors underscores a continual challenge for South Koreans.

Data present South Korea is without doubt one of the most overworked and sleep-deprived nations amongst Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development members, and, as a consequence, folks have a few of the fewest sleep hours.

As the clock struck three and eye masks descended throughout the park, officers went round to measure contributors’ coronary heart charge to verify that they had a steady studying – an indicator of deep, peaceable sleep.

The winner of the competition was a person in his 80s.

Hwang Du-seong, a 37-year-old workplace employee, was a runner-up.

“I was completely drained, having done night shifts often on top of going to work everyday plus I also drive a lot for work. So when I saw the contest I was determined to sleep to fully recharge amid river breeze, and I’m very happy to be placed second place, luckily.”

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