[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Hee-eun Park] Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation (SH Corporation) officially apologized for the controversy surrounding the name "Gisaengcheung" (meaning "floor where opportunities arise") used for the "Multi-family and Multi-house Semi-basement Improvement Project," stating that it lacked consideration. They announced on the 1st that they will no longer use the term.
An SH Corporation official explained that the original intention was to borrow from the movie "Parasite" to signify a "space welfare area where opportunities arise," meaning a semi-basement space in housing utilized to provide new opportunities such as startups for young people.
However, the official also said, "We apologize for causing misunderstandings among citizens regardless of our intentions."
Earlier, on the 29th of last month, SH Corporation announced plans to relocate households living in a total of 671 semi-basement units in multi-family and multi-house rental properties they own to above-ground floors.
They also announced plans to convert the vacant semi-basement spaces into welfare facilities such as startup classrooms or community centers for residents.
SH Corporation had intended to call the transformed semi-basement spaces "Gisaengcheung," meaning "floor where opportunities arise."
However, criticism arose that the term "Gisaengcheung" could cause residents of semi-basements to feel humiliated. It was argued that the term, regardless of its original intent, could make semi-basement residents feel deprived.
Following the controversy, SH Corporation stated that the project will be referred to by its original name, such as "Multi-family and Multi-house Semi-basement Space Welfare and Space Improvement Project," instead of "Gisaengcheung."
A company representative said, "We did not consider that it could cause discomfort to citizens, and we feel that we lacked consideration."
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