Vietnamese girl spends more than 2.8 million VND to "stay in jail" for 24 hours in Korea

(Dan Tri) - To find out why many Koreans choose "prison" to heal, Vietnamese girl Bui Diep Thao Van spent about 2.8 million VND to experience the "simulated prison" service in this country.

Spend 2.8 million VND to... be imprisoned

On TikTok, a clip recording a Vietnamese girl's "voluntary prison" journey in Korea has attracted thousands of views and comments. The image of the girl in a prison uniform, sitting among four empty walls, has made many people both curious and surprised: Why would someone pay to... "go to prison"?

This "prison" is located in a remote area in South Korea (Photo: Screenshot).

The owner of the clip is Ms. Bui Diep Thao Van, currently working in Hanoi . Talking to Dan Tri reporter , Ms. Van said that her trip to Korea was originally a business trip. During the short weekend, she suddenly remembered the "simulated prison" model - a unique healing service in Korea that has attracted the attention of international media.

"The idea of 'going to jail' to escape pressure is not new, it also happens in Denmark. However, the first time I heard about people voluntarily being locked up, I still found it strange," she said.

Located in a remote area, far from Seoul and public transportation, the "prison" named Happitory is not for the majority of tourists . Even booking a place is not simple for a foreigner like Ms. Van who does not have a Korean phone number.

After many searches and emails, Ms. Van was finally confirmed to register. The cost of the 24-hour experience is 150,000 won (about 2.8 million VND), including a cell, uniform, simple meals and a set of writing utensils.

Participants were given keys to leave the "prison" at any time, but most chose to stay.

"At first, I thought it would just be a few hours of sleep after a tiring day at work. However, the first three hours, I almost went crazy with the feeling of missing my phone, wanting to check my email, wanting to make sure I didn't miss anything out there," said Ms. Van.

Food is provided through the door slot (Photo: Screenshot).

Know how to listen to yourself better after... "being in prison"

In an absolutely silent space, with no phone ringing, no social media, no one to bother her, a "prisoner" like Ms. Van faced for the first time the insecurity that she had tried to avoid.

"I realized that in this "prison", the person holding me captive was none other than myself," she said.

Instead of fighting the silence, she learned to accept it and listen to her inner voice. A notebook, a pen, and a camera (specially designed for work) became her 24-hour companions.

"I started taking notes, thinking, and noticing things I had never noticed before. It was a kind of self-questioning that we don't normally have enough quiet time to do," she confided.

At the end of the experience, Ms. Van packed her bags to leave the small "prison". What remained deeply in her mind was not only the closed space, but also the kindness of the people here.

"The uncles and aunts working at the "prison" were so kind that they left me speechless. Knowing that I would spend several million to catch a bus back to Seoul, they drove me all the way to the bus station, waited until the bus arrived, watched me get on the bus, and even watched me as the bus drove away," she said, her voice still filled with emotion.

Ms. Van was given a pen to write on when doing this special experience (Photo: Screenshot).

Returning to her daily life, Ms. Van does not think she has "turned into a different person", but one thing that has changed is that she knows how to listen to herself better and is no longer too concerned about what others think of her.

Despite her positive experience, Ms. Van believes that this model is not really suitable for most young Vietnamese people today, when most of them are still struggling with basic material needs "food, clothing, and money", like her.

"Spending a few million to lock yourself up will probably be considered strange or extravagant," Ms. Van commented.

She believes that community culture, the need to connect and share also makes it difficult for young Vietnamese people to accept "being alone" as a way to heal, and not everyone is ready to face themselves in silence.

Instead, some people will choose a long trip, a few days off from social media, or simply sitting alone with a cup of coffee, to listen to themselves - something that seems easy but turns out to be very difficult in the modern world.

"I will definitely return to that "simulated prison", not to "stay in prison" again, but to meet the kind people there again. This time, I want to spend more time talking to them instead of rushing to escape the world like before," Ms. Van confided.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/du-lich/co-gai-viet-chi-hon-28-trieu-dong-de-o-tu-24-gio-tai-han-quoc-20250805161302661.htm