An interesting twist to being 'reborn'

[flashl]

Mock funerals catch on in South Korea

The living spend time in coffins to lead better lives

After solemnly reading their wills, seven perfectly healthy university students climb into caskets in a dimly lit hall.

"I want to give all of you one more day to live, but it's time to be placed into coffins," a man in a black suit says in a resounding voice. "I hope your tired flesh and bodies will be peacefully put to rest."

Workers nail the coffins shut, then sprinkle dirt on top as the lights are switched off and a dirge is played. Muffled sobs can be heard from some of the coffins. About 15 minutes later, they are opened, and the five men and two women are "reborn."

The mock funeral, which aims to get participants to map out a better future by reflecting on their past, is part of a new trend in South Korea called "well-dying." The fad is an extension of "well-being," an English phrase adopted into Korean to describe a growing interest in leading healthier, happier lives.

SF Gate - Read Full Text

[rug]

1. They don't pull this crazy shit in North Korea.

[flashl]

2. Its promotion from the business sector is also interesting

Some leading companies see the service as a way of improving job performance. Samsung Electronics Co., South Korea's largest firm, sent 900 workers in 2006 from its factory in Gumi, 160 miles southeast of Seoul.

The experience makes workers more efficient, said Kim Hee Jin, a personnel manager at the Gumi plant, which makes mobile phones, computer printers and fax machines.

[knitter4democracy]

3. Now, that's really odd.

Reminding your employees that they're going to die? To make them better workers? Weird.

[Crunchy Frog]

6. They're into the real thing up North. n/t

[PassingFair]

4. Don't the Masons have this as a Rite?

Isn't there a "rebirth" aspect to advance as a Mason?

[heidler1]

5. This reminds me of a old German tale my Father would tell me when he thought I was too damn lazy.

This guy was in a casket and was willing to be buried alive to get out of doing any work. His two friends were at the funeral and one felt sorry about it and said, "You can't go through with this; I'll give you a bushel of corn, OK".

The guy in the casket asks, "Is the corn shelled?"

The guy that made the offer says, "No".

So the guy in the casket says, "Go ahead with the funeral".

[spin]

7. When I worked on graveyard shift,

I seriously considered buying a coffin to sleep in.

[Skittles]

9. do they come with coffin-shaped mattresses?

:o

[ZombieHorde]

8. That is awesome. nt