Sleep streaming is a real thing and BTS Jungkook just had 6 million people watch him nap
It's BTS's 10th year anniversary and fans got an early, unexpected and adorable... maybe a little creepy, treat. BTS member Jungkook tuned into Weverse (a platform for K-Pop bands to connect with fans) live stream on Monday, June 12, around 7 am (KST) after being unable to go to sleep.
Then, he fell asleep mid-live stream...
But the story doesn't end here. The live stream went on and millions of fans or ARMYs watched Jungkook snooze for 21 minutes.
A whopping 6 million ARMYs watched Jungkook snooze, not just for a split second, but for a whole 21 minutes. And the video has garnered over 10 million views in total after the live stream ended.
Jungkook began the live stream smiling and interacting with fans, but soon felt sleepy and said:
When he woke up he had this reaction:
Jungkook is known for making his fans swoon with his adorable antics on live stream. He's been quite regular with the live-streaming sessions too. And maybe it is because of his enormous fan base that millions of fans would tune in to watch the star do nothing but sleep. However, the concept of live-streaming someone sleeping is not new.
The Sleep Streamers
In fact, Jungkook just gave sleep streamers a run for their money with his little gaffe. Sleep streamers mushroomed sometime during the pandemic on Twitch and TikTok.
It started with just a phone camera mounted on a tripod capturing a person sleep and live stream for several hours. Just that.
But who knew it would attract so many viewers and be in demand?
- Now, sleep streaming has become one of the niche things on the internet that is popular among some influencers.
- Who are sleep streamers? Sleep streamers sleep with a camera set up in front of their bed and live-stream their sleeping session for an audience.
- In fact, according to The Wired, some popular sleep streamers can earn anywhere up to $35,000 in a month. They can even get sponsorships from mattresses and pillow brands.
- For now, it doesn't seem like the popular members of BTS are going to be jumping on this wagon; so sleep streamers can still keep their jobs.
- But popular sleep streamers go beyond just allowing strangers to watch them sleep. Streamers have turned their business into interactive games.
- Australian TikToker Jakey Boehm allows his audience to wake him up in the middle of his sleep as many times as they are willing to pay.
- Like an interactive game, viewers can buy "gifts" for a certain amount of money to play a disturbing song, make a shrill noise, control the lights in the streamer's room, and more.
- For $95, Boehm even allows internet strangers to administer him a shock while he sleeps, through a bracelet he wears on his wrist.
But why are people paying to watch random people sleep?
- Some sleep streamers claim that their audience likes to watch them sleep as it helps them sleep as well.
- For others like Boehm, it's more about an interactive and voyeuristic game.
- It seems creepy that anyone would be interested in watching someone sleep (*cough* Edward Cullen *cough*).
- But the concept is not new. In 1964, Andy Warhol showed a film showing his lover John Giorno sleeping for over 5 hours.
- Even artists have showcased video art showing a person sleeping.
- Some claim that watching someone sleep relaxes them.
While it seems like a great way to make quick money just by sleeping, it's a niche market. Copycat streamers often have a difficult time succeeding; and in the process, lose much of their sleep.