'I do this s*** for a living': The competition that rewards you for doing absolutely nothing

The Space Out competition brought dozens of folks dressed as their profession together to do nothing.

The Space Out competition awards a winner who has the lowest heart rate and best costume. Source: SBS News / Madeleine Wedesweiler

An engineer, a fountain with warm running water, a Japanese elder, two rival Teletubbies and an actual labrador — these were some of the "athletes" in the running for the winner of Melbourne's competition to be the best at doing absolutely nothing.

The Space Out contest, part of the city's winter Rising Festival, crowns its champion based on who can maintain the lowest heart rate for 90 minutes, as competitors veg out in a public space.

Participants have their heart rate measured by doctors every 15 minutes to capture their technical score, and can be awarded points for their costumes and vibe — their artistic score.

The Space Out competition's winner and finalists. Source: SBS News / Madeleine Wedesweiler

There is a somewhat serious element along with the novelty. South Korean artist Woopsyang first ran the competition in Seoul in 2014 to make a statement about hustle culture and burnout.

This year in Melbourne, with perhaps the most elaborate costume of the day and certainly the only to use running water and electricity, local puppeteer Amelia took home the winner's certificate, dressed as a fountain.

Sitting in a pool of water for the event's duration, Amelia had two helpers heating the water with kettles to help manage the cold conditions caused by polar air across southeastern Australia.

Competition winner Amelia portrayed a running fountain. She sat submerged in water for over 90 minutes on a cold Melbourne day. Source: SBS News / Madeleine Wedesweiler

But the event's presenters speculated the water lowered her heart rate — cold water is known to slow the body's blood pressure and heart rate and can eventually lead to hypothermia and possibly death from prolonged exposure.

"I chose to do a puppet that uses water as I think it is the laziest of all elements, it always finds the path of least resistance," Amelia told SBS News before the competition started.

"My strategy is to imagine that I am a sea sponge."

In her winner's speech Amelia dedicated the win to the fountain in her grandmother's garden.

"It's where she likes to sit and experience serenity. [I dedicate this] to everyone here as well, we are all fountains from when we wake up and take a shower until, well, when we next take a shower."

Tiggolo the retired seeing-eye dog placed third. Source: SBS News / Madeleine Wedesweiler

Runner-up was Anthony, a man who initially claimed to be an engineer and was dressed as one, but then said he lied and he's unemployed.

Tiggolo, a retired seeing-eye dog, was awarded third place for his very low heart rate and zen nature.

The black Labrador's owner said he was keen to chill out after his years of service, though around 5pm (his dinner time) he nearly lost composure, but gained it and stared deeply into her eyes.

Another puppet costume, with a giant paper mache head that took two months to make, was awarded the "special prize".

This was the Space Out competition's Australian debut. Source: SBS News / Madeleine Wedesweiler

Participants were required to write a statement about why they were competing and audience members could place a vote on their answers in the form of red stickers.

"Full time sofa coder. I do this shit for a living," one wrote.

"ADHD sisters about to enter their mind palace," said another.

Each competitor had to share a statement about why they were competing. Source: SBS News / Madeleine Wedesweiler

"90 minutes of quiet dress ups and keeping kids entertained," said a clever parent.

"I want to learn to space out to teach my children that it's already wonderful and valuable to just BE!" reads a much-stickered statement.

Woopsyang cultivated an air of mystique, wearing sunglasses, a white, Korean hanbok-inspired dress and black hat, and silently walking onstage to unveil huge scrolls with messages for participants just before the competition starts.

"Sometimes doing nothing can be the most powerful and valuable act," the first scroll reads.

South Koran artist Woopsyang created the Space Out competition as a statement about burnout. Source: SBS News / Pranjali Seghal

After she revealed all the scrolls and called sequined performer Gabi Barton onstage to lead some stretching, the still-silent Woopsyang rang a tiny bell into a microphone to commence the competition.

Tackling burnout culture

Informed by hardcore work culture in some Asian countries, Woopsyang has toured the Space Out competition to other cities including Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai — this is its first time in Australia.

She says she was surprised to learn that Australians, who seem so laid back, report high levels of burnout.

Po from the Teletubbies participated, as did Dipsy. The pair didn't know each other. Source: SBS News / Pranjali Seghal

"Normally Asians think that Western people are very chilled and relaxed, have their nice lifestyle, but then when I came to Melbourne a few days ago and saw people coming and going and rushing, I figured out even in Melbourne, life is so busy and everyone is very overwhelmed," she told SBS News through an interpreter.

Recent research indicates two in five Australian workers began 2025 already feeling burnt out, and 90 per cent of Australian employees feel that burnout is ignored until it becomes critical.

Burnout is an "occupational phenomenon", not a medical condition, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2019 definition.

The WHO says it typically presents as exhaustion, negative feelings towards one's job, and reduced professional productivity.

Many different professions were represented in the competition. Source: SBS News / Madeleine Wedesweiler

Woopsyang wanted the event to represent all different ages and professions, as though she was creating a miniature city where everyone was spacing out together.

"Ten years ago when I was working as an artist, I felt so burnt out, and so overwhelmed.

"I was interrogating myself: 'Why do I feel so much anxiety? Why can't I stop, why can't I pause?'

Many participants remarked they felt very zen afterwards. Source: SBS News / Madeleine Wedesweiler

"But then I thought everyone who surrounded me was still busy and doing other stuff and so I thought what if we all need to stop and then we can all take a break and recover," she said.

Woopsyang said the Melbourne event is now her favourite and almost brought her to tears because of how well everyone performed, though the first iteration will always have a special place in her heart.

But 10 years later, she says she's busier and has much less time to space out than ever before.

Her own advice might be helpful for that — to find moments of appreciation, calm and stillness throughout the day, wherever you can.

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