Korean Fan Death

In Korea, there is a popular urban legend about electric fans.

The legend goes like this:
if you fall asleep in front of a fan, you will die!

While such a belief may seem ridiculous to anyone outside Korea, the people in Korean honestly believe that fan death is a legitimate health and safety concern.
Even the Korea Consumer Protection Board has made a comment on fan death:

If bodies are exposed to electric fans or air conditioners for too long, it causes [the] bodies to lose water and [causes] hypothermia. If directly in contact with [air current from] a fan, this could lead to death from [an] increase of carbon dioxide saturation concentration [sic] and decrease of oxygen concentration. The risks are higher for the elderly and patients with respiratory problems. From 2003 [to] 2005, a total of 20 cases were reported through the CISS involving asphyxiations caused by leaving electric fans and air conditioners on while sleeping. To prevent asphyxiation, timers should be set, wind direction should be rotated and doors should be left open.

In this video, I conduct a series of science-like experiments to see if the legend is true, or false. I test for Korean vs. foreigner physiology, Korean vs. Western fans, and the effect that soju/nakedness has on the body in the presence of fans.
note: I am alive and typing this description, that should provide some clue as to the truthyness of fan death.

In this video, I don't just tell you the legend, I put it to the test.

more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fan_death

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Kyle
• Korea
• fan
• death
• soju
• korean
• sylvia
• seon
• hwa
• 선화

[Shopliftfilms]

Whats with the plastic on the bed? You still wet the bed?

SHOPLIFT FILMS

[theheadlessrabbit]

@Shopliftfilms

New mattress. couldn't be bothered to take the plastic off.

[aznboi1398]

I am Korean American and I never knew this but I think it's just propoganda from the South Korean government for a way to scare the people to not use to much electricity since during the summer it's so hot.

[theheadlessrabbit]

@aznboi1398

Ah, that's interesting. I never though of that possibility.

However, without a fan, many people will sleep with the A/C on, which uses far more energy than a fan would, so I can't imagine it being an effective strategy.

[duprade]

you made that poor girl to sleep on the floor!?!?!

[theheadlessrabbit]

@duprade

I offered to take the floor and let her have the bed, but she insisted. She claims that floors are better for sleeping than beds.

to be honest, I was happy with that deal.

[TampaRed]

I've heard the same. Media reports fan death when in fact it was suicide. If this is indeed true, it's utterly irresponsible of Korean media. Just the same, I'm unsure if this is the case.

[TampaRed]

Your belief in pseudoscience is hampering your ability to be rational and to embrace critical thinking.

[Helmholz42]

@aznboi1398 I've asked a few college-educated Koreans about this and they suppose it's because of coal-fueled ondols that may have leaked carbon monoxide into the rural homes of asphyxiation victims. When the police arrive, many of whom are uneducated themselves, they find only the fan and do not detect the carbon monoxide. To make matters worse, the fans all have timers since the rumor started, so they have no way of telling if the fan had been on or not.

[volopok]

@theheadlessrabbit She could have been in the bed with you...

[Shopliftfilms]

@theheadlessrabbit mmmmhhhhhhmmmmmm thats what they all say. Well god bless you sir.

SHOPLIFT FILMS

[Balfyeatscaca]

wait did she go to bed in the morning?

[Narconis]

Dude props on taking the whole bottle in chugs. That was quite impressive. Great video, I shared on my facebook wall. I love trying to explain fan death to the people back at home. I told my boss over the summer than I sleep with a fan blowing on me and the "aircon" on and he was visibly nervous.

[0exstacy0]

this is great! i cracked up so hard at your button comment. and i can't believe u chugged that whole bottle of soju. props for that dude ;) u could have taken the plastic thing off your mattress tho btw.