Why did millions believe an electric fan could be a deadly weapon?

History · Published 18 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: For decades, a persistent fear gripped South Korea: that sleeping in a closed room with an electric fan could lead to death. While the mechanics of the myth are scientifically impossible, the belief shaped public safety warnings and even government-funded consumer alerts well into the 21st century.

The myth of 'fan death' suggests that electric fans can cause asphyxiation, hypothermia, or facial paralysis. Proponents of the theory argued that a fan in an unventilated room could lead to oxygen displacement and carbon dioxide intoxication. However, the biological reality is that the gradual reduction of oxygen and buildup of CO2 occurs in any unventilated room due to human respiration; a running fan does not meaningfully alter this process, except perhaps in the zero-G environments of astronauts. The only notable exception to this rule is in zero-gravity environments, where exhaled air can form a bubble around an astronaut's head. In such extreme settings, the fan's airflow might actually play a role in gas dispersion.

The origins of this fear are difficult to pin down, but warnings about the risks of new electric technology appeared in Korea as early as the 1920s and 1930s. Some suggest the South Korean government used the myth as propaganda to reduce energy consumption during the 1970s energy crisis. Yet, evidence suggests the fear predates the crisis, with a 1927 article already describing the 'strange harm' caused by fans. While some attribute the myth's spread to the 1970s energy crisis, this remains a disputed conspiracy theory. The fear of nausea and even facial paralysis has been documented since the technology's introduction to the region.

The belief remained remarkably resilient. In 2006, the Korea Consumer Protection Board (KCPB) even issued a safety alert, listing asphyxiation from fans and air conditioners as one of five common summer injuries. Their data from 2003 to 2005 recorded 20 cases of reported asphyxiation involving fans and air conditioners while sleeping. While younger generations are increasingly skeptical due to internet-driven scrutiny, the myth has historically served as a potential euphemism for truths too difficult to discuss openly in Korean society. The KCPB noted that the elderly and those with respiratory issues face higher risks. Even as late as 2011, news outlets like The Korea Herald reported on individual deaths, such as a 59-year-old man named Min, despite a lack of evidence linking the fan to the tragedy.

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