Under hazy spring sunshine, hundreds of young Seoulites turned up in a park by the Han River at the invitation of the city government to try something many overworked South Koreans never get enough of – sleep.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government staged its third annual spring event, dubbed a power nap contest, from 3pm under a refreshed set of admission requirements for would-be participants: wear outfits befitting either a sleeping beauty or prince, and come tired, with a full belly.
For a metropolis that famously runs 24-hour shopping malls, competitive hustle and iced Americanos, the underlying exhaustion on the lawn 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,” said Park Jun-seok a university student, who showed up in the silken, crimson robes of a Joseon Dynasty monarch.
Data show South Korea is one of the most overworked and sleep-deprived nations among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development members, and, as a consequence, people have some of the fewest sleep hours.
Officials went around to measure participants’ heart rates to make sure they had a stable reading – an indicator of deep, peaceful sleep.
The winner of the contest was a man in his 80s.
Hwang Du-seong, a 37-year-old office worker, was a runner-up.
“I was completely drained, having done night shifts often on top of going to work every day.
“So when I saw the contest, I was determined to sleep to fully recharge amid the river breeze. I’m very happy to end up second, luckily.” — Reuters
