Below is a video about life in a Korean goshiweon, a small, cramped, cheap living space initially meant for students studying for exams, but now used by poor folks of all ages looking for cheap housing. Years ago, when I had fewer mortal possessions, this was a lifestyle I would have at least considered, but I was lucky enough—at least at first—to be housed by the universities where I worked (starting in 2005). Before I became a prof, I did live in places like yeogwans and hasuk-jip. In fact, when I taught my first semester at Dongguk University, I had to find cheap lodging again, and I ended up in a W400,000-ish/month yeogwan close to campus. That felt like a major step backward after my having enjoyed uni-provided studio apartments. (Dongguk doesn't provide housing; you're on your own. And I don't think they gave me a housing stipend, either, the way many other universities do.)
These days, I'm out of debt, but I'm still living in a studio apartment, so I haven't risen very far. If I had a few hundred thousand dollars, I could move into a legitimately large, multi-bedroom apartment, but I don't have nearly that much saved up. Although I'm no longer eager to move back to America, given how crazy everything has gotten over there, if I did move back, I'd want a house, a yard, and some dogs (plus maybe a cat)—the whole suburban scenario, preferably in a region with mountains, rivers, and lakes, which is why I keep thinking I'd love Wyoming, what with its tiny population and huge, natural landscapes.
That said, goshiweon living is a bullet I dodged. The conditions, per the video below, sound positively awful. I'd hate to find myself in such a place.
Hard to imagine living like that. Better than being on the street at least. I've seen similar rooms here. In fact, that's what I rented for "mama", but it turned out she preferred her homeless lifestyle. Go figure. And to keep it in perspective, I frequently see folks living in shacks with no power or running water--literally just a roof over their head. A good reminder to be thankful for what we have.
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