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South Koreans lock themselves up to escape prison of daily life
- jonnat 8y agoMy immediate response was “this sounds like an amazing idea”. Now I think I need a break.
- mc32 8y agoIt's odd but I guess natural for people to need "an excuse" to have a pause. There is nothing keeping these people from doing this by themselves: stay home and do nothing (don't tend to household chores, or anything else, just to what you decided in advance to do, like reading or writing) if home is too busy, head down to the library and again, do what you planned to do, or a hotel and same. But it seems the problem is often times one will break a promise with oneself (to not be interrupted, distracted). So it's easier to rely on proscribed behavior (of this mock prison, for example).
- Mononokay 8y ago> There is nothing keeping these people from doing this by themselves: stay home and do nothing (don't tend to household chores, or anything else, just to what you decided in advance to do, like reading or writing) if home is too busy, head down to the library and again, do what you planned to do, or a hotel and same. Except, y'know, rent, property tax, the price of food...keeping the heat on, being able to afford gas, maintaining social relationships...it's almost like there's a lot of factors in this.
- mc32 8y agoWell, it’s not as if going to this mock prison magically absolves them of their day-to-day responsibilities, except they get to pay for this “priviledge” and get back to their normal lives when they check out.
- Mononokay 8y agoIt gets rid of the need for food, gas and most others. The price is definitely cheaper than otherwise.
- aqme28 8y agoWow this is straight out of a major plot point in "Sorry to Bother You" (which was a great film if you haven't seen it).
- blondie9x 8y agoI am a bit confused by this, "South Koreans worked 2,024 hours in 2017." That does seem demanding but I am not sure how the US wouldn't be ranked higher where the minimum for full time employment is 2,080 hours a year. Can anyone clarify?
- aqme28 8y ago40 hours/wk with only 2 weeks combined of vacation/sick days/holidays is 2000 hours. 2080 as a minimum is kind of crazy.
- anonymouzz 8y ago2080 is the standard HR number because 52 [weeks] * 40 [hours in a week] = 2080 [hours per year]. And 40 = 5 [days of week] * 8 [hours per day] for your standard 9 to 5 job. There's no vacation/holidays/sick leave included because those hours that you actually don't work are still paid. In other words the vacation and holiday policy is just a discount you get from your employer on the total 2080 hours per year they would have otherwise requested from you.
- forkLding 8y agoCan I know how you got that number? Presuming you work 37.5 hours per week which should be the minimum fulltime labor amount at 5 days times 7.5 hours per week. 2080 divided by 37.5 is about 55 weeks, while there is only 52 weeks in a year. If you count it as 40 hrs per week then it is 52 weeks but people usually don't count the extra half hour which is usually a break but that could be your number. This is probably a better comparison to the korean number for the US: https://www.fool.com/careers/2017/12/17/heres-how-many-hours-the-average-american-works-pe.aspx https://www.fool.com/careers/2017/12/17/heres-how-many-hours...
- Domenic_S 8y ago> 7.5 hours per [day] How did you get that? When I was an hourly employee, my shifts were 8.5/9 hours clock-in to clock-out, to allow for a 30 minute or 1 hour lunch break.
- rb808 8y agoActually sometimes I really fantasize about a 3-6 month stint in prison - am I the only one. Surely it can't be that bad If Martha Stewart can do it. Imagine no commuting or on call support or social engagements or children's homework or chores. bliss.
- ravenstine 8y agoYeah, I've definitely thought of this sort of thing before and imagined exactly what's described in the article. I never told anyone because I assumed I was an extreme outlier in that regard.
- flippyhead 8y agoI'd be really curious how you feel about this after trying it.
- decebalus1 8y agoand then be forever banned from properly entering the workforce.
- maltalex 8y agoConsider taking a Vipassana course instead.
- drwl 8y ago^ really second this if you feel like getting locked up
- maxxxxx 8y agoMy 10 day retreat even felt like prison from time to time...
- jason_slack 8y agoI liked my 10 days, however, there were times I felt a bit like a prisoner. The same schedule each day. Nobody else around you exists. No eye contact. That being said I'd like to do it again.
- dawhizkid 8y agoIf I ever developed a chronic illness in old age and would be on the verge of bankruptcy because of it, I would seriously consider committing a white collar crime and get free treatment in prison over suffering through the financial strain it would otherwise cause me.
- ams6110 8y agoYou won't get good medical treatment in prison.
- dawhizkid 8y agodefine "good"? chelsea manning got her transition treatment through prison
- pavel_lishin 8y agoShe's definitively an outlier.
- BEEdwards 8y agoMilitary prison though, pretty sure the rules are very diffrent.
- Waterluvian 8y agoDefine where? I would wager that in a lot of the modern world, you'd probably get adequate care.
- icebraining 8y agoIn those places, you can probably get better care outside prison.
- itake 8y agoEven if you're as a tourist or immigrant? There was an article recently on HN where a British citizen was shipped home for surgery instead of getting it done in Singapore by their travel insurance company.
- decebalus1 8y agoI recall also reading something similar about Japan a while back. EDIT: found it https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-03-16/japan-s-prisons-are-a-haven-for-elderly-women https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-03-16/japan-s-p...
- bruxis 8y agoMore commonly in Japan, individuals will "lock themselves up" in their own home, very similar to what house arrest would look like. It's referred to as hikikomori[1], the practice of becoming a recluse to avoid the stresses of daily life (school, work, anything). It's surprisingly common and tends to put quite a strain on families, but as it's so common, it's relatively accepted as a disease (or more directly, mental illness) of sorts. [1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori
- jason_slack 8y agoI was going to mention this article. You beat me to it. I found this rather interesting that people get locked up to escape daily life. I can see it from both sides. There are times I wish I wasn't doing the same things day in and day out, but I value my freedom to much to lose it.
- ultim8k 8y agoDear meteors, please hit the earth soon! I cannot stand humanity anymore.
- eartheaterrr 8y agoThat's funny :) But note that this seems to be a cheaper, ascetic equivalent, of the classic meditation retreat, which is already popular in both the East and the West. Marketing it as a prison puts a quirky twist on it. This makes for an interesting article, which also fits Western stereotypes.
- TheFunBurglar 8y agoOne prisoner was heard to remark, "I'm having the time of my life."
- calvinbhai 8y agoQuestion for South Koreans here: Is this real or is this report just the usual exaggeration by western media? Asking because Reuter’s has a biased reporting for anything related to India, and I’m wondering if they have a similar lens / filter for South Korea. (I’m from India in US)
- pwaai 8y agoDefinitely as real as mukbang. 멍 때린다. Im zoning out. Translitterally, to be in a state of stupor.
- adventured 8y agoThe demanding work life the article references is real. South Korea is #2 in the OECD in average annual hours worked, at 2,070 hours per worker for 2016 (the US was #14 at 1,789 hours by comparison, with the OECD average at 1,763). That's 41.4 hours per week across 50 weeks, basically the average South Korean is working overtime every week (by US standards).
- kijin 8y agoObviously, not all South Koreans are locking themselves up. This is just an unusual hotel that helps people get away from everyday life and stop being tied to their smartphones for a while. You could remove all references to South Korea, and the business model still looks interesting. I suspect it could work just as well in Japan, or even in the West as a modern alternative to a monastery.
- kingkawn 8y agoSounds like the movie Old Boy getting closer to reality
- klodolph 8y agoThose of you considering the appeal, consider that there are retreats you can go on which structure your time and give you rules to follow. You don't have to make it look like prison.
- narrator 8y agoI looked into signing up for a silent retreat, but they are expensive and sold out months in advance.
- cpncrunch 8y agoWhy not just book a relaxing airbnb?
- ghaff 8y agoI suspect that people are looking for something more structured. For that matter, just go on a backpack someplace that doesn't have cellphone service (or just leave your cellphone in the car).
- gonesilent 8y agoWhy go to a gym, when you can CrossFit with random street trash?
- dannycastonguay 8y ago"GrossFit".
- cpncrunch 8y agoI'm not sure what your point is, but I certainly wouldn't compare airbnb to "random street trash". The quality does vary, but if you're careful you can get amazing places.
- pandapower2 8y agoIf you can get yourself to Thailand and dont have an aversion to Buddhism there are Buddhist temples where you can go stay. Frequently you make a donation at the end of your stay with the amount being at your discretion. An example near Chiang Mai in north west Thailand https://www.fivethousandyears.org/ https://www.fivethousandyears.org/
- benatkin 8y agoHere's a similar sort of odd business in the US that I read about today: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/all-the-rage-tempes-simply-smashing-rage-room-serves-the-frustrated-masses-11051134 https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/all-the-rage-tempes-sim... I don't think stuff like this is very useful to learn about what it's like to live in a country. These are really tiny niches.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- pmiller2 8y agoI'm not sure why I'd want to pay someone else for this when I can do the same thing at home by unplugging my internet for a day.
- kijin 8y agoIf you are paying, you are more likely to successfully resist the urge to plug your internet back in, check your phone, or leave the "prison".
- bonestamp2 8y agoI'm not sure it would have the same effect. My parents have a vacation home near where I live. Sometimes I go there for the weekend and I still use the internet, but it's so much more relaxing because I'm physically separated from my home and normal life where I have a lot of responsibilities. To declutter your mind you have to remove yourself from all of your physical clutter, and I don't think you can do that at home. But, getting a room at a local motel would probably work. Maybe even leave your phone at home.
- driverdan 8y ago> To declutter your mind you have to remove yourself from all of your physical clutter Maybe you should try getting rid of your physical clutter first. It might improve your overall happiness instead of a day without it.
- bonestamp2 8y agoI agree with you and I have done this, but I mentioned it because I don't think most people have. That said, I think the clutter in your home is deeper than the actual physical clutter. Even if you clear all of the physical clutter, you still have what I call "associative" clutter. Every experience (good and bad) that you've had in your home adds to this mental clutter. I still think it's important to get out of your home and go to a simple place frequently, nature would probably be a good option too.
- deleted 8y ago[deleted]
- reaction 8y agoHas anyone a meditation retreat? Sounds a bit similar to escape and take a break without the prison life.
- new_guy 8y agoI think society (in general, not just Korean) is fundamentally broken when people are actually considering something like this. The Korean Government reduced working hours from 68 to 52, it's still 48 too many (see the four hour working week) Life is for LIVING. Too many people forget that.
- Traubenfuchs 8y agoThat sounds a bit excessive. Even the slackers that permeate the software developer industry, those who spend more than half of their workday on reddit can't get all their work done in four hours.
- quickthrower2 8y agoAlmost satirical sounding.
- pcurve 8y ago2000 inmates in 5 years... at $90/days. Hrm. I guess they have a lot of multi-day guests doing hard time, otherwise this isn't too sustainable.
- kbos87 8y agoWhenever I feel like my life is too driven by work and guilt driven by capitalism here in the US, a glance eastward is a great level setter.
- honestoHeminway 8y agoIf you want to see these extremes in your society - join the volunteer fire brigade.
- GrumpyNl 8y agoIt strikes me, that we first have to question the newsreport on accuracy. Thats the state we are in now.
- anonnyj 8y agoIt should have always been the case, even before blatant fake news. It's so important it should be taught in schools, really.
- jillesvangurp 8y agoDoesn't sound that different from people staying in a monastery for a while. Used to be pretty common. But monastic life is not so popular anymore so there are fewer of those around.
- hkai 8y agoMonastery is different because it requires work too, just like normal life. Living in Asia, I am really thinking that jail in a good country like Sweden is way superior to living outside of prison. You could read books, study languages, pause and think about something. More chances for meeting friends, and so on.
- CharlesDodgson 8y agoare we not all prisoners of circumstance?
- CharlesDodgson 8y agoI like when I get downvoted for asking a question
- jihoonk 8y agoHi I am a korean, but this is the first time I see this. It is not a universal culture, but something unusual. I was surprised that Reuters reported what local people did not know.
- carbocation 8y agoThis is a particularly effective submarine advertisement.
- ryanmercer 8y agoAfter having finally gone aboard U-505 recently after 2 decades of wanting to, and having a half-brother that has his dolphins, I've been hardcore wanting to become fantastically wealthy and order a sub or just create a faux-sub as a house.
- TheAdamist 8y agoPeople do this in America as well. Possibly for other reasons. Article: https://splinternews.com/roleplaying-jail-in-iowa-with-americas-biggest-prison-f-1821464521 https://splinternews.com/roleplaying-jail-in-iowa-with-ameri... Book your own stay: http://www.hamptonjail.com/ http://www.hamptonjail.com/
- matty22 8y agoI'm from the US, but spent 2 years teaching English in South Korea. I interacted with very few adult Koreans who weren't teachers, so I can't speak to the 'overworked, stressed Korean businessman' stereotype. However, schooling for kids there is a lot different from schooling here. If you think your American kid is overworked and is given too much homework, it doesn't hold a candle to what Korean kids are put through. From the age of 7 or 8, they are doing full days at school and at least 1 after school hagwon (private academy). That ramps up as they get older. By 10 or 11, they are doing full 9am-9pm days. Middle and high school kids are more like 9am-9pm in class and I've had kids tell me that they go home and study until 2 or 3am, regularly. I routinely had kids breakdown and cry. After a while I realized that in a small way I was helping contribute to the continuation of this lifestyle and I soured on the whole teaching English in Korea thing and moved back to the States. I loved Korea on the whole and would go back in a heartbeat, but not as a teacher.