"Securing a 10 Million KRW Deposit"... Young Adults Flock to Scarce "700,000 KRW Rooms"

Many Studio-Type Gosiwons Feature Private Bathrooms

Monthly Rents for “Premium” Units Reach Up to 1 Million KRW

Foreign Exchange Students, Public Servants, and University Students All Seeking Gosiwons

Even with monthly rents approaching 600,000 KRW, tenants are required to pay a deposit of around 10 million KRW, and must also cover additional maintenance fees of over 100,000 KRW for a one-room apartment. As high housing costs for one-room units are pushing university students, job seekers, office workers, and international students to turn to gosiwon as an alternative, monthly rents for gosiwon are also skyrocketing under the label of "premium," further increasing the burden on young people.

A premium study room located in Seo-gu, Incheon. The monthly rent is 650,000 KRW, with separate maintenance fees. Screenshot from Gobang website

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of gosiwon in Seoul grew from 5,115 in 2024 to 5,180 this year. In the Sinchon area, which is known for its cluster of universities, the number increased from 114 in 2022 to 121 last year. In reality, the people seeking gosiwon are no longer limited to those preparing for exams; the demand has rapidly expanded to include university students seeking temporary housing during vacation, office workers on short-term assignments, and international students.

In the past, most gosiwon consisted of a bed and desk, with residents sharing bathrooms and kitchens. More recently, however, one-room style gosiwon with private bathrooms and showers have become mainstream. This is interpreted as a result of the impact of jeonse fraud combined with high rental and monthly rents, leading more people in their 20s and 30s to seek short-term housing options with lower deposits.

'Premium' Gosiwon Rents Also Skyrocketing

The problem is that even these so-called "premium gosiwon" often charge monthly fees well above 700,000 to 1,000,000 KRW, raising concerns about whether gosiwon are still a realistic alternative. Many of these facilities have been remodeled within the past two years, featuring clean, hotel-style lobbies in white or wood tones and shared fitness centers. They have become so popular near major university districts and in the Gangnam area that there are even waiting lists of over a month.

A premium one-room tel located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. The monthly rent is 900,000 to 1,000,000 won, with a deposit of 500,000 won. Screenshot from Gobang website

However, problems with the residential environments behind this glamorous marketing still persist. The current Enforcement Decree of the Special Act on Safety Management of Multi-Use Establishments defines gosiwon as a segmented space where students can stay or live. Yet, there is criticism that the long hallway layout, small room sizes, and reliance on shared facilities have changed little, making it difficult to say there has been any substantial improvement in living conditions.

An even bigger concern is safety. A woman in her 20s, identifying herself as living in a gosiwon in Seoul while preparing for a job after graduating from college, wrote on social media: "I pay 700,000 KRW a month to live in a premium gosiwon, but all the rooms share the same ventilation system. I have often worried that everyone would die if a fire broke out here. The air conditioning is also centrally controlled, so I survived the summer with just a fan."

A netizen is introducing a goshiwon located in Seoul where they live. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter)

Nevertheless, as the high deposits and rents for other types of housing become unaffordable and demand for gosiwon rises, more businesses are advertising gosiwon startups through social media and other channels. One company claims: "We guarantee a profit rate nearly twice that of a one-room apartment. In a multi-family one-room apartment, you can fit a maximum of 4 rooms in a 99m² space, whereas with a gosiwon, you can split the space into as many as 8 rooms."

The Government Withdrew the Plan to Replace Desks with Bathtubs After Youth Backlash

As gosiwon, historically considered "study rooms," have evolved into practical living spaces, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced a revised architectural standard on August 12 to remove the mandatory desk requirement from every room and to allow the installation of bathtubs. The stated intent was to reflect the fact that gosiwon are no longer just for study and to accommodate the growing demand for better hygiene facilities.

AI image of a cramped goshiwon room filled with a bathtub. Screenshot from X (formerly Twitter)

However, the announcement was immediately met with fierce controversy on social media. Online communities responded with comments such as "This is just a desk theory debate," and "It's not a gosiwon—it's a private sauna." Many criticized the policy for allowing only bathtubs, while ignoring more fundamental improvements to poor housing conditions for young people, especially at a time when the proportion of one-person households has surpassed ten million and the share of young people living in non-residential spaces is soaring.

Particularly for young people living in cheap rooms that face hallways and have no real ventilation, bathtubs are not only pointless, but could also lead to humidity and mold, as well as being used as a pretext for further rent hikes. As concerns mounted, the government announced a reconsideration of the proposed revision just four days into the advance public notice period (August 12–August 31).

Even With Public Housing Allocation, Many Give Up on Moving In

In response, the government has accelerated efforts to expand the supply of public rental housing. However, there are significant limitations, as quite a few vulnerable groups living in gosiwon or semi-basement units end up giving up their allocations and do not move in. According to the "2026 National Assembly Audit Issue Analysis" released by the National Assembly Research Service on September 6, projects are underway to assist in upgrading the housing of people moving from rooming houses or gosiwon to public housing.

Youth Safety Housing in Daehak-dong, Gwanak-gu. Gwanak-gu

However, cases have been reported in which the monthly rent and maintenance fees for public housing exceed the previous housing benefits received, prompting some to return to gosiwon. While rent for gosiwon or rooming houses often includes utilities such as electricity and water, public rental apartments require tenants to pay separate maintenance fees, representing another financial burden.

Experts stressed, "The government should not only focus on increasing public rental housing supply but also closely monitor whether residents are actually able to move in and settle. In order to prevent the 'housing refugee' phenomenon among young people flocking to gosiwon, it is urgent to set minimum residential standards and devise effective solutions to improve settlement rates."

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport plans to supply 140,000 public rental housing units this year. This includes 30,000 newly constructed rental units, 65,000 purchased rental units, and 45,000 jeonse rental units. In 2026–2027, 70,000 new purchase-type housing units will be supplied in the metropolitan area, and the number of housing benefit recipients will be increased from 1.95 million last year to 2.02 million this year. There are also plans to continue supporting housing upgrades for residents of semi-basement units and rooming houses.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.