"Kisses Protesters Are Space Warriors"…Physicist Professor Kim Sang-wook's 'Support'

Explanation of How 'Eunbak Damblyo' Protects Body Temperature on SNS

Participants in a rally calling for the arrest of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who wrapped themselves in silver foil blankets to overcome heavy snow and cold, have drawn attention as the "Kisses Protesters." Kim Sang-wook, a professor in the Department of Physics at Kyung Hee University, supported them by describing them as "space warriors."

Photo by Sangwook Kam, Professor, Department of Physics, Kyung Hee University, Facebook capture

On the 6th, Professor Kim posted on his social media (SNS) a photo showing people sitting on the ground wrapped in silver foil near the presidential residence in Hannam-dong during the rally calling for President Yoon's arrest held the previous day, along with a post titled "The Science of Silver Foil Blankets."

Professor Kim explained, "The silver foil blanket, or space blanket, was literally developed by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to retain heat in space," adding, "Heat is transferred in three ways: conduction, convection, and radiation. To prevent heat loss through conduction and convection, we wear hats, clothes, and shoes. However, blocking radiation is difficult."

He continued, "The human body, with a temperature of 36 degrees Celsius, emits radiation in the infrared spectrum. Infrared radiation has high permeability, making it hard to completely block with clothing. In the vacuum of space, radiation is the main cause of heat loss," and wrote, "That is why space blankets are important in space."

Regarding the "silver foil blanket," he explained, "Although called silver foil, it is actually aluminum, not silver. Aluminum is the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust and is cheaper than silver. Aluminum is a metal with high reflectivity. The silver foil blanket is aluminum coated on a thin plastic material. Therefore, it reflects the infrared radiation emitted from the body, preserving body heat." He added, "Thus, the Kisses protesters in Hannam-dong can be called space warriors."

Netizens who saw this responded with comments such as, "It's touching that a scientific explanation can be such a warm comfort," "The support is really cool," and "A truly beautiful interpretation."

Professor Kim Sang-wook. Screenshot from YouTube channel 'tvN'

Professor Kim graduated from the Department of Physics at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), completed his master's and doctoral degrees at the same institution, and is currently a professor in the Department of Physics at Kyung Hee University. He gained public recognition by appearing on the third season of the tvN variety show "Alssul Sinjab (Aladoomyeon Sseuldeneun Sinbihan Jabgak Sajeon)" in 2018. Previously, after the December 3 emergency martial law incident, Professor Kim continued to make statements related to the political situation on his SNS and revealed that he participated in rallies calling for President Yoon's impeachment.

On the 5th, a large crowd gathered near the presidential residence in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, continuing rallies both for and against impeachment. Despite a heavy snow warning predicting up to 8 cm of snow in Seoul that day, participants in the rally calling for President Yoon's arrest wrapped themselves in silver foil blankets and endured the snow throughout the night. This scene resembled the packaging of the famous American chocolate brand "Kisses," leading to the protesters being nicknamed the "Kisses Corps" or "Kisses Protesters," drawing widespread attention.