Fan Death Kills Again

I don't think I've mentioned fan death on my blog before, and those of you living outside of Korea might have no idea what it is. Let me try and explain. Bear in mind that the vast majority of Koreans (my guess would be 90%+) and essentially everyone in the Korean media believe every word that follows in my explanation.

Fan Death: if you fall asleep in an enclosed room (with no windows open and the doors shut) and leave a running fan blowing inside the room there is the possibility that the fan will suck out your breath like some sort of vengeful phantasm and you'll suffocate. Hundreds of people have supposedly succumbed to this health hazard.

Now, obviously, it's a big steaming crock of shit. But that matters for naught...I know several educated, thoughtful Korean adults who argue passionately in favor of the existence of fan death and who when pressed to supply evidence for the logistics of the threat will begin talking about miniature vacuums and unusual air flow.

It may not surprise you, dear reader, when I hasten to inform you that most of the victims of fan death are lonely alcoholics, depressed teenagers, spinsters, and others who are perhaps more inclined than the rest of us to view suicide as a rewarding and fulfilling temptation. Indeed it's almost as if fan death is used by the victims' families to cover up discussing what appears to be a more obvious, albeit more painful, cause of death. It's easier to blame fan death for little Jimmy Kim's departure than suicide brought on by the crushing pressure Korean society puts on its young people to excel academically.

Anyway, here's a recent news report about the death of an old alcoholic at the hands of his fan. It's all in Korean, of course, but it's only 30 seconds and if you view the clip you'll be treated to a melodramatic close up of the victim's body lying beneath the murderous appliance.