Seoul city said on the 29th that it will hold the "2026 Hangang Sleeper Championship" at the Multipla za in Yeouido Hangang Park at 3 p.m. on May 2.
The competition will proceed as citizens gathered with their own stories compete in sleeping. After making its debut in 2024, it marks its third year.
This year's participants total 170. Seoul city accepted applications from the 16th to the 20th and finalized the roster based on the submitted stories. They will compete for "the best sleep" in their own ways.
A person surnamed Cho in their 20s, an intensive care unit nurse, said, "Because I always live on edge, sleep kept getting pushed back, but 3 p.m., right after I get off work, is my personal golden time for sound sleep," and added, "I've always helped others recover, but this time I want to give myself the gift of rest."
A person surnamed Kim in their 30s, who applied on behalf of a spouse, said, "Every night I put my sleepless spouse to bed, and I end up suffering from chronic fatigue," and added, "Under the wind and sunlight of the Hangang, I hope my spouse's 'sleep talent' will shine so that my right to survival is also secured."
A person surnamed Yoon and a person surnamed Shin, an engaged couple, said, "We are crushed by the flood of information from wedding preparations and late-night work," and added, "It is our wish to break free from digital devices and, on a warm spring day, lie side by side with our spouse-to-be and fall asleep without a care."
The format goes beyond a simple nap and focuses on evaluating "sleep concentration," the ability to maintain deep sleep despite various external stimuli. On site, there will be two rounds of interference tactics, such as tickling with feathers and playing mosquito sounds.
Participants must overcome this and remain calm. Winners and losers are determined by sleep data. Based on each participant's sleep measurements, the final ranking will be decided through a comprehensive evaluation of the duration of deep sleep and the sleep quality score.
Any citizen who visits Yeouido Hangang Park on the day of the event can watch the competition. Details about the event can be found on the Reading Hangang Park website or Instagram.
Park Jin-Young, head of the Seoul city Future Hangang Headquarters, said, "This competition was prepared to present rest itself as a form of content and provide citizens with a different kind of relaxation and fun," and added, "I hope it becomes a precious time for participants to set down the weight of daily life for a moment under the cool breeze of the Hangang."