Therese Sta. MariaApparently, South Koreans get so stressed with their busy and fast-paced lives that they’ve made a business of quiet spaces all over South Korea, where locals can just stare out into the distance to unwind. Locals, however, would need to pay for these services as they would a cafe. This trend was initially reported by Washington Post reporter Michelle Lee, who shared that Seoul residents would rather zone out indoors than seek solace in green spaces outside.
Also read: UAE Work Weeks Will Soon Be Only Four and a Half Days
Image credit: greenlabseoul_forest Official Instagram Page
A Seoul cafe that stands out is The Green Lab, which sits conveniently beside the Seoul Forest. This cafe asks customers to reserve a slot for their time to zone out in the quiet space overlooking Seoul Forest. They are also asked to put their gadgets on silent mode in the room, while enjoying the view of the verdant trees seen through the glass walls. Silence must be strictly observed.
“It’s so hard to find spaces in Korean society where it’s acceptable to do absolutely nothing. People seem to be finding more interest in this, though I think it will take some more time for it to become widely popular,” Green Lab employee, Bae Hyun, told The Post.
Mung Hit | Image credit: Mung Hit Official Website
Similar places have popped up in Jeju Island, such as cafe Goyosae, which operates on a reservation-only rule; meanwhile, Mung Hit in Ganghwa Island also has silent areas for customers to stare into space and do nothing.
Also read: Top 5 Themed Cafes in Singapore
To just sit and do nothing is such a simple concept for a business, and yet it just might be the very thing everyone needs right now, especially since people are going back to work in offices. We won’t be getting rid of the fast-paced life anytime soon like South Korea, so we hope similar quiet spaces like this pop up in our own towns!
Featured image credit: Kihun Park / The Green Lab | Official Facebook Page; information sourced from the Insider
