For South Koreans, seeking an escape from the trappings of everyday life, a 24-hour fake prison is on hand to provide them with a "sense of freedom".
Named ‘The Prison Inside Me’, the unconventional getaway charges refuge seekers £70 ($90) to live in solitary confinement for 24-hours.
Since its opening in 2013, the facility - located in Hongcheon - has played host to more than 2000 stressed workers and students seeking an escape from the country’s notoriously demanding academic and working culture.
Inside the ‘prison’ walls there’s a complete ban on any kind of communication, including mobile phones, clocks, and even mirrors.
Customers say the complete solitude allows them to relax and escape from the bustle of their otherwise incredibly straining lives.
Within the 28 five-square-meter cells, residents spend most of their confinement in a room with a diary, yoga mat and a panic button, but they can also take part in spiritual group activities if desired.
The residents also wear traditional prison jumpsuits and are served meals through a hatch of their locked cell door.
A study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that South Koreans worked an average of 2,000 hours in 2017, deemed it the most overworked nation in Asia.
The country’s suicide rate is also among one of the highest in the world - more than double that of the US.
Co-founder Noh Ji-Hyang says part of the inspiration for the mock prison came from her husband, a local prosecutor who often worked about 100 hours per week.
"At first people say it would be stuffy to be in a prison cell. But after their stay, they say this isn't a prison - the real prison is where they return to."
