I’ve only just heard of this but it strikes me as quite a strange superstition. Apparently, people die in Korea from fans!
This isn't the type of fan we're referring to...
Fan death, as in the fairly standard consumer air fan that most people are familiar with and can be purchased at Walmart for $31.88, is an urban legend in South Korea that blames the electric fan for suffocating, poisoning and freezing people if it is left running overnight in a closed room. Fans manufactured and sold in Korea have timers and warnings.
We're not talking about these types of Korean fans. Though they do look deadly!
These are the culprits! They even look guilty.
According to Wikipedia, The Korea Consumer Protection Board (KCPB) even warned against them and said they are a leading cause of seasonal deaths.
As you can tell by this shocking report, the phenomenon is mainstream news worthy!
Beware of fans!
Related Stories
http://postcards-from-the-world.blogspot.com/2009/04/mysteries-of-korea-fan-death.html
http://askakorean.blogspot.com/2009/01/fan-death-is-real.html
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2008/07/30/korea-fan-death-and-your-belief
http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/Fan_death (this one’s really funny)
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December 1, 2009 at 12:30 pm
iamjamieread
Maybe Dyson has the solution for Koreans! http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/12/dysons-air-multiplier-is-the-overpriced-bladeless-fan-you-never/
December 1, 2009 at 1:13 pm
iamjamieread
Apparently the Toronto Star has a story on Fan Death as well.
http://www.thestar.com/living/article/480793#article