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Seoul Stages Third ‘Power Nap’ Contest to Spotlight South Korea’s Sleep Deficit

The playful contest turns public rest into a health message in a country that sleeps among the least in the OECD.

Overview

  • The Seoul Metropolitan Government hosted the third annual power-nap competition at Yeouido Hangang Park, inviting costumed entrants to rest in public.
  • Officials measured participants’ heart rates to look for stable readings seen as a sign of deep sleep.
  • A man in his 80s won the contest, with office worker Hwang Du-seong named runner-up.
  • City officials cast the event as a public reminder of South Korea’s sleep deficit, which OECD data ties to long work hours plus heavy study pressure.
  • Coverage differed on scale and scoring, with Reuters noting a large crowd and News18 citing about 170 entrants plus sleep-tracking and deliberate disturbances in judging.