▲ Live together, better together.

These days, many TV programs such as ‘Roommate’ and ‘Shared House’ are prevalent in Korea. These two programs both focus on shared housing, a unique residence culture, for their programs’ theme. The intent of these programs is to create the impression that your roommate is like your secondary family, sharing your space affectionately in an era of the single person household. There are other shows that are also centered on this theme. ‘It’s Okay, That’s Love’, a popular drama in Korea these days also bases their story from a shared house. Sharing a house is no longer just popular in foreign countries. Today it is also becoming a trend in Korea. The Dankook Herald (DKH) looked into this new residence culture.

So what is a shared house? Well roommates use their own room for their own privacy, but share common spaces such as the kitchen, bathroom, and living room. Why has this new residential culture emerged?

The number of shared housing units have increased, and their share of the overall housing market has grown. The number of websites for real estate agents managing shared housing professionally has increased and many kinds of shared houses have appeared. There is for instance, ‘Habizae’, a housing space geared towards artists, and ‘Educovillage' living quarters with a goal of making the world a happier place. There is also ‘Borderless-house’, shared housing where foreigners and Koreans live together, and ‘WOOZOO’, a site that targets people with the same interests so that they live together. WOOZOO is managed in a unique way as each room is decorated with a different theme and rooms are rented to residents that have an interest in each of the themes. Monthly rental rates for shared housing differs depending on the type of house, but it ranges from 300,000~600,000 won, and the deposit is different for each lessor, ranging between 50~2,000,000 won. There are many shared houses that companies manage professionally, and there are many that are managed individually. Most shared housing is centralized in Seoul, but with the trend increasing, shared housing is being spread throughout various cities.

So what is it like to live in a shared house? DKH met Lee Jin-woo (senior, Korea Aerospace University), Kim Sang-mi, and Lee Yun-seon (a team manager of Educovillage) all residents at Educovillage, to learn about their living conditions and quality of life. They all agreed that one of the advantages of living in a shared house is that people don't get lonely because there are always people to talk with. “The most satisfying advantage is meeting a variety of people, and making exchanges with them. I learned how to ride a skateboard because my roommate is a great skateboard rider and he taught me. Thanks to his guidance, I learned more quickly and with ease.” Mr. Lee said. “Owing to communication with my roommates, I can easily obtain information about parties, exhibitions and ceremonies,” Ms. Kim said about living in the shared house. Residence in the shared house also allows people to save money. “Educovillage provides free basic home appliances and daily supplies. Furthermore, I can spend my money effectively due to the fact that I don’t need to pay utility bills. In addition, thanks to sharing meals with my roommates, I can also
reduce my food expenses,” Manager Lee explained about the economic efficiency of living in shared housing. However, residing in a shared house has its disadvantages, “Owing to group life, I need to always consider my behavior so as not to disturb others. I need to be be more careful too, because all of the my roommates are not men either,” Mr. Lee complained about living in the shared house. Ms. Kim added, “If you are sensitive to noise or hygiene, it will be uncomfortable for you to live here. This is always going to be noise when living with others, and people will always feel that they do all of the cleaning because of our different standards of cleanliness.” So they regularly hold household meetings to solve any existing and potential problems.

Nevertheless, all of the above three people said that the advantages of shared housing outweighs the disadvantages. Mr. Lee recommended living in the shared house and said, “I would highly recommend it to anyone who is afraid of living alone, but still wants their independence. I became more diligent by sharing my living quarters with others, because I now do the dishes right after eating and clean the house everyday.” Manager Lee finished by saying, “It is important for the grown-up to bid adieu to their paternal roof, but it is more important that he or she fulfills things of spiritual value like consideration, cooperation, or sociality. Therefore, living in a shared house can be the learning process required for becoming an adult.”

Therefore, house sharing is a dwelling culture ideal for people who pursue a sense of ‘togetherness’ rather than being ‘alone.’ In the face of this growing trend, individuals can take this opportunity to add to their vitality of life by communicating with different people and sharing various ways of life. Furthermore, if your roommate is a foreigner, it will be a great chance to carry out a cultural exchange. People are often forced into their independence because of a long commute to school or work these days. As long as you are living apart from your parents, why not consider doing it this way? A shared house can be your stepping-stone for greater independence, and enhance the value of your life by sharing it with others.