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Strange vacation - People pay US$90 per day to be locked in a 5-square-meter (54-square-foot) cell.

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Who's paying? - Built in 2013, the fake prison has hosted more than 2,000 people, ranging from office workers and corporate bosses, to students and stay-at-home mothers.

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Strict prison rules - “Inmates” are not allowed to talk to one another, ensuring that you get the most of your confinement.

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Off the grid - You must surrender your cell phone upon entry, and not even the use of clocks is permitted.

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The cell - Patrons sleep on the floor near a toilet, in a cramped room with no mirror.

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As close to real prison as legally possible - Once admitted, inmates swap their clothes for a blue prison uniform.

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Very minimal belongings - They also receive a yoga mat, a pen, and a notebook.

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They do, however, get a tea set - After all, they're paying customers.

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A plain meal plan - Inmates are subject to a strict diet, including rice porridge for breakfast, and sweet potato and a banana shake for dinner.

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There are some group activities - There is also a guidebook, but the majority of the time is spent in the small cell with a diary for reflection, a mat for your back, and a panic button for emergencies.

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Inmates are discharged on parole - Keeping in theme, at the end of the “sentence,” participants receive a certificate of parole.

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What is so appealing about it? - The prison is so successful because so many people are seeking relief from South Korea's demanding work, academic culture, and the accompanying stresses of daily life.

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The inspiration behind the operation - According to Reuters, co-founder Noh Ji-Hyang was inspired to create the faux prison when her husband, who worked 100-hour weeks, told her that “he would rather go into solitary confinement for a week to take a rest and feel better.”

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A wearisome reality - South Koreans reportedly work more hours per week on average than almost every other country besides Mexico and Costa Rica.

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Competitive environment - Reports say the hyper-competitive school and work environment of the country heavily influences the high stress and suicide rates.

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Work can be fatal - In 2017, hundreds of South Koreans reportedly died due to being overworked, including one man who was working over 100 hours a week in the time leading up to his passing.

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Lock yourself up to escape - Once “inmates” cut themselves off from their daily life, they find the rare chance to just be.

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The South Korean government is noticing - The government has since taken measures to help citizens work less and earn more, by raising the minimum wage and lowering the legal cap on working hours from 68 to 52 hours per week.

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What the "inmates" have to say - Park Hye-Ri, a startup business program manager, told Reuters that she shouldn't even be at the prison because of how much work she has to do, “But I decided to pause and look back at myself for a better life.”

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Away from the noise - “I can't hear anything now,” Hye-Ri said in her blue uniform. “It is very quiet which helps me concentrate [on myself]...this prison gives me a sense of freedom.”

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Could you last without your phone? - No social media, no work e-mails, no news updates, no Candy Crush, no calls or texts, and no flooding your brain with cheap dopamine!

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Not just escape, but also self-reflection - A 37-year-old computer programmer explained that he chose prison because he didn't think he was growing as a person, and he was so preoccupied with worrying about his family until…

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He had time and space to himself - Alone and isolated, he was able to rid himself of those feelings and worries. “After spending a week here, I realized all these concerns were delusions and I was able to free myself from them and own my life.”

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The time away isn't a burden - Visitors usually only spend 24-48 hours at the facility, though it's possible to stay up to a week. The time is short enough, and the experience concentrated enough, to hit refresh without falling far behind.

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It's not an instant fix - Kwon Yong-seok, the other co-founder, said he doesn't think a 48-hour stay will change someone's life, but that it does offer the chance to spark a long-lasting change.

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The value of spending time alone - "Some have even described it as the greatest gift they've given themselves," he said.

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A harsh reflection of society - Noh Ji-Hyang said that while people are reluctant to experience something so “unnatural and stuffy” as a prison cell, after participants are released, they say, “This is not a prison, the real prison is where we return to.”

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Does prison sound pretty good right now? - You might want to rethink your daily life.

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And for some more paradoxes - Check out these beautiful island prisons around the world.

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