May 15, 2026
Under hazy spring sunshine on Saturday, hundreds of young Seoulites turned up at a park by the Han River at the invitation of the city government to try to do 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 (0600 GMT), under a refreshed set of admission requirements for would-be participants: wear outfits befitting either a sleeping beauty or prince, come tired, with a full belly.
For a metropolis that famously runs on 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, who showed up draped in the silken, crimson robes of a Joseon Dynasty monarch.
