Do nothing and win: Seoul's 'Space-Out' competition set for Sunday

The “2025 Han River Space-Out Competition” will take place at 4 p.m. on Sunday on the Jamsu Bridge in Banpo Han River Park.

A participant of last year's space-out competition does absolutely nothing in Seoul in 2024. [YONHAP]

The “2025 Han River Space-Out Competition” will take place at 4 p.m. on Sunday on the Jamsu Bridge in Banpo Han River Park.

A total of 80 teams will participate on-site this year. The Seoul Metropolitan Government received applications from 4,547 teams and selected 80 teams of 128 participants based on the stories they submitted. The competition rate was 57 to 1.

“A wide range of age groups are participating this year, from teenagers to people in their 60s,” said an official from the city government Friday. “The competition includes citizens working in diverse fields such as the military, emergency services, environmental sanitation, social welfare, rail transport and corrections,” the official added.

The reasons for participating also varied. A woman in her 60s surnamed Yang, who joined with her family, said, “I’ve been raising my grandson for 10 years in my twilight years. I wanted to take part in a special event with my daughter and grandson to create a meaningful memory.”

“I’ve always worked on dark, empty streets in a rush,” said Park, a public sanitation worker. “Just for today, I want to enjoy a day fully among people.”

Participants of last year's space-out competition attempt to do absolutely nothing in Seoul in 2024. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Participants are judged over 90 minutes based on a combination of their heart rate graphs for the technical score and on-site audience voting for an artistic score.

Each participant wears an armband-style heart rate monitor, which records data every 15 minutes to generate a technical score. Artistic scores are determined through votes cast by spectators at the venue.

The top 10 teams based on artistic scores are shortlisted, and from among them, the top three and special award recipients are selected according to their technical scores. The first-place winner receives a trophy and certificate, while second and third receive certificates. All participants are awarded an official participation certificate.

Visitors are welcome to freely observe the event. “We will continue to make the Han River a place that offers fresher rest and energy in citizens’ daily lives,” said Park Jin-young, head of Seoul’s Future Han River Headquarters.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff. BY HAN EUN-HWA [kim.minyoung5@joongang.co.kr]