Goshiwon Brazilian women share what its like to live in

Goshiwon: Brazilian women share what it’s like to live in a 3m2 micro apartment in South Korea

27yearold influencer Thais Midori’s first contact with South Korea was with kpopstyle bands 16 years ago.

At the age of 20 he discovered that he could go to the country on an exchange program and learn the language. Since then, he has traveled to Korean territory every year, always with the intention of exploring the culture. The first time he stayed six months and then returned for the holidays in January and July.

When she got there, she found that housing was very expensive and one way to save money would be to stay in the microapartments known as goshiwon, which are only about five square meters and sometimes three square meters.

“They are everywhere, on every corner. They are mini buildings and each floor has several apartments,” he told BBC News Brasil.

When she went to the country to study, she usually opted for this type of accommodation. “In a cheap hotel, for example, you spend R$ 3,500 for 17 days,” he says. According to her, a rent for this type of accommodation costs an average of R$ 1,900 per month.

Like the Thais, the influencer and master’s student Amanda Gomes, 30, from Ceará is a lover of oriental culture. With a scholarship she received at college, she traveled to South Korea and lived there for a year.

After returning to Brazil, he decided to return to Seoul and spend more time there. For this he made a financial plan for a year and went to learn Korean.

However, the accommodations exceeded her budget and she also resorted to a goshiwon. “I’ve lived at the subsistence level and these apartments are very cheap here,” she says, who has lived in Korea for four years.

what is goshiwon

Goshiwons are small houses and much cheaper than traditional Korean apartments. They were designed for students who want to spend a long time preparing for civil service exams, who only use the apartment to sleep, or for seniors who live alone and cannot afford higher rents.

If the tenant opts for one of these apartments, he can opt for apartments with a window, without a window, with a private bathroom or a shared bathroom. The kitchens and laundry rooms are communal and some floors are shared between men and women.

Depending on the apartment, it can be internal or shared bathroom  GAMALELDIN TARAKHAN  GAMALELDIN TARAKHAN

Depending on the apartment, the bathroom can be internal or shared.

PICTURED: GAMAELDIN TARAKHAN In this goshiwon, the bed is glued to the bathroom door  GAMALELDIN TARAKHAN  GAMALELDIN TARAKHAN

This goshiwon has the bed glued to the bathroom door

PICTURED: GAMAELDIN TARAKHAN A work desk and a minibar complement the furniture in Apartment  GAMALELDIN TARAKHAN  GAMALELDIN TARAKHAN

A desk and a minibar complete the furniture in the apartment.

PICTURED: GAMAELDIN TARAKHAN

Amanda’s Goshiwon, the cheapest model, had a bed, a closet door, a table, and a chair. “I’m 1.68 tall, the bed was smaller than me, my small feet remained. The clothes (hung) on ​​me and I had to lie down because if I sat down I would hit my head on the broken pieces”, he remembers with a laugh. Amanda says if she stretches out her arms she could touch both walls.

“Mine had no air conditioning, just a heater. So I had a fan. Once I got a fever and asked to move to a room with a window for better ventilation,” recalls the woman from Ceará.

Thais’ room was a bit larger as it had an internal bathroom, bed and desk. “I always take it with a bathroom. It’s normal to wet the bathroom every time I take a shower,” he says.

The big advantage of this house, according to the Brazilians, is the exemption from “rental rent” and a oneyear contract. Unlike other Korean apartments that require prepayment, the person only needs to have money to pay the rent.

Housing is an alternative for those who don’t have that much financial means and still want to live in the capital Seoul and other Korean cities, it said.

‘Uncomfortable’

Because of the price, there aren’t many perks with such accommodations. The cheaper it is, the fewer amenities the apartment will have. There are places where, despite the window, the opening faces the hallway and the tenant will never see the street.

“I really don’t see anyone living there because they want to live there, but for financial reasons. At that time I was calm and had no financial conditions. God willing I will not live there anymore as it is very uncomfortable, you hear everything and there is no privacy. You hear people talking and arguing,” says Amanda.

According to Thais, the biggest issue with his goshiwon was airflow. In these homes, who control air conditioning and heating, they believe own the property, making it difficult to adjust the devices when the person is too cold or too hot.

“Even in winter I couldn’t take a hot shower because the room was so humid. Even when I opened the window there was no wind. The air won’t come out.”

Kitchen and laundry room are collective in this type of apartment  GAMALELDIN TARAKHAN  GAMALELDIN TARAKHAN

The kitchen and laundry room are shared in this type of living.

PICTURED: GAMAELDIN TARAKHAN

She recalls asking for the air conditioner to be on longer and the owner provided a fan. “It’s very hot in the summer. There was a neighbor in Manaus who couldn’t believe it. It’s hot air that surrounds you all the time. In the cold, I had an electric blanket,” says Thais.

In terms of cuisine, some like the “treats” offered by the Goshiwon owners. Locally there are always noodles and rice for the locals. “There were days when I ate ramen noodles and rice. There will always be rice in the pot, bags of ramen noodles to prepare, and kimchi (fermented chard),” says Thais.

Brazilians claim that the prices for these accommodations are reasonable for life in the countryside. In general, real estate prices are exorbitant and, according to them, it is often better to choose a goshiwon and save money during your stay in South Korea.

“For those who want to travel and spend a long time, like 60 or 90 days, it can be a good alternative,” says Amanda.

Amanda Gomes in her Goshiwon  Personal Archive  Personal Archive

Amanda Gomes in her Goshiwon

Image: Personal archive

‘Never rent without viewing’

According to respondents, it is very common to see signs in neighborhoods advertising goshiwon, in addition to recommendations from friends. There are also websites that offer this type of property.

However, according to reports, there are places where problems with mold, for example, can occur. Therefore, Brazilians say that it is important to visit the property before signing a contract.

It is also common to find these mini apartments on hosting sites like Airbnb for long or short stays. For example, the monthly fee for the application may cost US$700 (approximately R$3,500). “They have app protection because when you deal directly with a Korean, it’s more difficult,” says Thais.

The Brazilians warn that there are cases where hair is found in the bathroom, a sheet that has not been cleaned well, and even someone else’s.

And they say you need to have an open mind as the experience can be quite claustrophobic according to Brazilians.

And they recommend that you know some Korean or go with someone who knows the language, as many owners are older and don’t speak English or any other language.

Larger ‘mini apartments’

Another common housing option is apartments that are smaller than the traditional ones, but slightly larger than those of five or three square meters.

They are called One Room (one room) similar to traditional kitnets in Brazil. Some can be up to 10 or 16 square meters. However, these villas require a one year contract with deposit.

“People adapt to situations. The space issue doesn’t bother me that much anymore,” says Amanda, who currently lives in such an apartment and will soon be moving into a twobedroom apartment.

While more expensive than goshiwons, they can also be an alternative for those who have a little more cash but still can’t afford a traditional one or twobedroom apartment. “These are older apartments and sometimes you have to pay a $1,000 deposit,” says the influencer.

Currently, the woman from Ceará is working on creating content on the Internet about Korea and is studying tourism and history for her master’s degree, as well as working for agencies linked to Unesco. She has no plans to return to Brazil. “I work with cultural and tourism content and I am currently helping Brazilians who want to travel to the country or study there,” he says. Thais also have their channels on social networks, where they share curiosities about Korean territory.

This text was published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional62907288