Free deaths offered

A company in South Korea will give you a funeral for free, but you have to be alive while it happens.

Hyowon Healing Center opened in 2012 and promises visitors improved lives through simulated deaths.

Over 25,000 people have participated in mass "living funeral" services, the business claims.

From Reuters:

"Once you become conscious of death, and experience it, you undertake a new approach to life," said 75-year-old Cho Jae-hee, who participated in a recent living funeral as part of a "dying well" program offered by her senior welfare center.

Dozens took part in the event, from teenagers to retirees, donning shrouds, taking funeral portraits, penning their last testaments, and lying in a closed coffin for around 10 minutes.

University student Choi Jin-kyu said his time in the coffin helped him realize that too often, he viewed others as competitors.

"When I was in the coffin, I wondered what use that is," said the 28-year-old, adding that he plans to start his own business after graduation rather than attempting to enter a highly-competitive job market.

Dying for a better life: South Koreans fake their funerals for life lessons [reuters.com]

There have been previous rounds of coverage of the "death healing" operation, including this biomedical review and New York Times piece from years back -- and there are lots of interesting videos to watch.

[photo: Michell Trommler via pixabay]