2-3 Happy one room
When I was a college student, I lived in a place calle goshiwon, a single-person residence. The origin of goshiwon was a space created for people preparing for the exam(Tests for obtaining qualifications/licenses or selecting public officials). The form of the residence is said to have first appeared in the early 1970s. This space was created for people who aim to “study” and “pass exams,” so it was a place that can (barely) satisfy only the most basic needs such as sleeping. It is a very tiny room, so your head and feet often touch the wall when you lie down, and you're only given a desk in the room. Depending on the price of the room, some rooms have a shower room inside.These goshiwons did not disappear but rather became prevalent. More and more people were entering universities in Seoul, and goshiwons were established around university areas to accommodate students and the urban poor.
Not only was the rent much cheaper than a studio apartment or officetel, but the advantage was that there were no management fees or very small deposit, so there was nothing to worry about. Therefore, it was bound to be attractive to the housing poor who had no suitable options or to those who needed temporary living space. Goshiwon rapidly expanded not only in the university area but also in other areas, and is now a place that can be easily found anywhere in Seoul. 11
Goshiwon is no longer just a space for people preparing for government exams, but has also become a space for people who cannot afford to pay a deposit.
11. The birth and evolution of goshiwon 고시원의 탄생과 진화 – 3siot