Eyes flutter open. Metal bars blur into focus. A dimly lit, claustrophobic room. Where am I? A tug at my wrist—clang. A metal cuff locks me to a pillar. “Help!” My voice echoes. A chainsaw roars in the distance, mingling with muffled, bloodcurdling screams. A message scrawled on the wall reads: Escape before the killer finds you. No way... am I trapped?
“This is amazing!” someone exclaims, brimming with excitement.
Some willingly seek confinement—whether in a prison cell, a locked room, or even a ship’s cabin. Judging by the tens of thousands in online communities dedicated to sharing their escape room experiences, at least 110,000 people in South Korea are drawn to this unique thrill. The actual number is likely much higher. They pay to step into establishments designed to simulate captivity—escape rooms. But instead of fear, they light up with excitement, eager to be locked in.
Escape rooms are immersive puzzle-solving experiences where participants must decipher a series of challenges to break free. Once considered a niche hobby, the activity has exploded in popularity in South Korea. Municipal governments and public institutions now use the concept to promote tourist attractions, while corporations incorporate it into employee training programs. Even parents are introducing their children to escape rooms as an educational tool for learning about historical events like South Korea’s Independence Movement. But what fuels this desire to voluntarily lock oneself in, and what do participants gain from it?
◇ Theatrical step into another world
Before entering, players sign a waiver. “I vow not to disclose anything I see inside.” The element of surprise is key to the thrill. Phones are surrendered, blindfolds secured, and the countdown begins. The mission: uncover clues and escape before time runs out.
Opening one’s eyes inside feels like stepping into another world. Some rooms replicate real-life locations, such as the infamous Alcatraz prison. Others transport players to eerie fortune-telling parlors, bloodstained operating rooms, mystical temples, or abandoned schools rumored to be haunted. The starting scenarios vary—some wake up bound, while others find themselves alone, separated from their team.
Kim Seong-il, a 35-year-old office worker, turned to escape rooms as a social alternative to drinking. “It’s exhilarating to be thrown into an unfamiliar setting. The immersive atmosphere, the challenge of escaping, and the ticking clock make my worries disappear,” he said.
A recently opened escape room near Hongik Univ. Station has taken immersion to the next level by introducing actors. The number of cast members remains undisclosed, but both lead and supporting roles adapt their performances based on player reactions. “It felt like I was the protagonist in a small-scale musical,” one player shared. Han, 32, recalled an unexpected encounter in another immersive escape room: “A foreigner suddenly appeared and started talking to me in English. It felt like I was wandering through the backstreets of a gang-controlled neighborhood in the U.S.”
Some escape rooms push realism even further. One venue warns, “Fake blood may stain your clothes,” offering waterproof suits and shoes. Another advises against skirts, as climbing is required in certain sections. A dedicated player, who recently completed their 100th escape room challenge, described the appeal: “It’s surreal—being completely disconnected from the outside world while exploring underwater landscapes or outer space, all in the heart of the city.”
◇ Cost of the experience
※ Note: Find the destination. A white-haired woman is watching you from a second-floor house down the alley.
Despite the name “escape room,” not all experiences are confined indoors. Some begin with a cryptic text message and a map. One such adventure kicks off at Hyehwa Station Exit 2, leading participants to a repurposed low-rise apartment where they must uncover its hidden story and complete their mission. Others take place entirely outdoors.
Early escape rooms were relatively simple—typically one or two rooms. But as TV shows like “The Great Escape” and “High School Mystery Club” gained traction, larger-scale experiences emerged. Some now involve five or six consecutive rooms, while others sprawl across vast open spaces, incorporating casts of up to a hundred actors.
As experiences grow more elaborate, prices have climbed. A standard ticket costs between $21 and $28, but some premium escape rooms charge up to $48 per person. With group sizes reaching 10 players, a session could total over $430, even with discounts.
◇ From entertainment to education
“I started researching escape rooms two weeks before March 1st Independence Movement Day to find an educational experience for my kids.”
A working mother in her early 40s took her two elementary school-aged children to an escape room based on the March 1st Independence Movement. Players take on the roles of independence fighters, solving secret missions. She noted that March reservations are notoriously difficult to secure.
Recognizing their appeal, businesses and public institutions are leveraging escape rooms for educational and promotional purposes. The format fosters problem-solving and independent thinking, making it engaging for all ages. One major corporation even converted its 41-acre training center—equivalent to 24 soccer fields—into an escape room experience. New employees spend three hours completing challenges designed to instill corporate values and mission statements.
Local governments are also embracing the trend. Late last year, Gyeongju City launched an outdoor escape room event centered around historic sites, designed to boost tourism during the off-season. Players started at Cheomseongdae Observatory, following clues through various landmarks. The escape room at Hwarang Village in Gyeongju drew over 7,000 participants in 2024. Similar programs have been introduced in Seoul’s Songpa District, Incheon’s Namdong District, and the eastern districts of Gwangju and Ulsan. Even the Ministry of National Defense hosted an escape room challenge last October to commemorate the 76th Armed Forces Day, spanning multiple locations in Yongsan District.
So why are escape rooms so popular? Experts suggest they provide an outlet for people craving an escape from life’s constraints. “People are stuck in group chats they wish they could leave but don’t, and they long to escape to unfamiliar places but can’t,” said Koo Jeong-woo, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University’s College of Social Science. “For many, escape rooms offer a brief but liberating experience—an opportunity to disconnect from reality, even if just for an hour or two.”
