"No Need to Sleep": How Are Koreans Coping with Sleepless Nights?

Reported by Yuxuan Han, Xiangying Zeng

Edited by Gyung-eun Lim

Late-night 24-hour convenience store

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - In recent years, a Korean myth has taken social media worldwide by storm: “Don’t all Koreans sleep?” “Koreans really don’t sleep and work hard!” “How can Koreans sleep only 3-4 hours a night and still be refreshed the next day?”

Crowds of people catching the last subway train on Line 2

This sleep deprivation phenomenon is common in South Korea. A 2016 survey showed that Koreans’ sleep shortage resulted in an average of 7 hours and 41 minutes of sleep, 41 minutes shorter than the average for the 38 member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Furthermore, a 2019 survey showed that Koreans work 1,967 hours a year, 241 hours more than the OECD average of 1,726 hours.

This phenomenon is mainly caused by excessive stress in life, work, and study due to rapid economic development. At the same time, Korea’s coffee culture, nightlife culture, and the importance Koreans place on socializing also affect the quality of their sleep. Many Korean citizens believe that spending time doing other things is more important than spending time sleeping.

Starbucks which is full of people, around 11:00 pm

 Office buildings in the 'Gwanghwamun' neighborhood that are still lit up after midnight

So, how are Koreans coping with sleepless nights in such a cultural context?

They divide their sleep time equally between studying, working, and socializing for fun. Late-night cafes are packed, and almost everyone brings a tablet to work and study; midnight is the bustling time of the pedestrian street, where pedestrians breathe in the night air of Seoul and enjoy the joy under the night sky; when it comes to nightlife, we must mention the pubs, where party-goers and socializers converse harmoniously amidst the aroma of good food and fine wines...

People gather for dinner and drinks and enjoy the nightlife at the ‘Pocha’ in Jongno, at 12:23 am

People lining up for 'Hottok' at the food market, at 09:21 pm

On the other hand, sleep is vital to the health of the human body. Without talking about the sleep taken away by these colorful activities and going out for pill interventions, what efforts have people in Korea made to get good sleep quality?

Working out before bed seems to be an effective way to alleviate sleep problems. A gym PT was interviewed about sleep and said, “There are a lot of people who come to the gym in the early hours of the morning to exercise... People who work night shifts, night shifts usually get off work already at ten, eleven o’clock, and it’s already early in the morning in the case of coming straight after work…” 

In addition, he said, “Because it’s a competitive society where I have to work hard to get to the end within my ability. People who are similar to my capability are working hard, so if I’m dishonestly lazy, the people behind me will beyond me from behind. I stay up late because I feel uneasy that I might be passed by others. The social classification is a very serious phenomenon that has been occurring in Korea since elementary school. I was never late for school once in my 12 years of junior high and high school. I went to school every day with just a little bit of sleep and a dream-like state which i life of studying like a machine since I was a child...”

Hongdae Pedestrian Street is bustling late at night

Faced with severe sleep deprivation, some people also choose to go to the hospital for sleep negotiation treatment. A patient with a sleep disorder said, “I have had a hard time falling asleep, and even if I do fall asleep, I wake up after three or four hours, and I keep waking up in between… I’ve tried classical and jazz music, meditation, hiking, going up in the mountains, and screaming to release my stress. For the effects, I feel like the effects are all pretty much the same, with little to no effect…”

This patient chose to go for formal sleep disorder treatment. After treatment, he experienced a significant improvement in his sleep. In the interview, he mentioned, “For effect, there are no more sudden awakenings while sleeping. And, the feeling of nervousness has become less...”

Cars coming and going around the road near the ‘Jongno’, at 2:20 am

Koreans face a common problem in modern society - lack of sleep. While many are engrossed in studies, work, and recreational activities that lead to late nights, we have witnessed their positive efforts to improve the quality of their sleep. Koreans demonstrate a tenacious work ethic in their daily lives and strive to find balance and improve their quality of life through fitness and sleep therapy. 

This phenomenon highlights society’s need for a better work-life balance and calls for us to collectively focus and think about caring for our physical and mental health while pursuing our dreams. This topic also deserves global attention, leading us to explore the balance between sleep and life together to create a healthier and more fulfilling future.