With the Opening of Sillim Line Seoul National University Venture Town Station, Office Workers Increase
'Mini One-Room' Fully Equipped Like a Studio Apartment Also Available
On the afternoon of the 30th of last month, around 1 p.m., I visited a gosi restaurant in the gosi village of Daehak-dong, Gwanak-gu, Seoul. Despite it being peak lunchtime, people were sitting sparsely at this buffet-style restaurant. Among the young people, three middle-aged men were also eating with spoons. Mr. Baek (67), who has been running this gosi restaurant at this location for over 10 years, said, "Sales have dropped significantly compared to before, and many gosi restaurants around here have closed."
Visiting 10 gosiwon in the Daehak-dong area, except for two gosiwon that only accept students studying for exams, the rest housed tenants of various age groups. The demand in the gosi village has diversified to include not only students preparing for exams but also office workers and middle-aged people. Operators of gosiwon said that, excluding students attending seasonal semesters, long-term demand is higher than short-term demand. Mr. A, who runs a gosiwon, said, "There are more people in their 30s and 40s than those in their 20s in our gosiwon." Another gosiwon official, Mr. B, added, "There is a mix of examinees and office workers from their late 20s to 30s, and except for Seoul National University students attending seasonal semesters, most residents stay long-term."
Since the complete abolition of the bar exam in 2017, the declining gosi village is experiencing a breeze of change. With the opening of the Sillim Line light rail and the Seoul National University Venture Town Station nearby, demand has become more diverse, including office workers commuting to Gangnam. Taking the Sillim Line from Seoul National University Venture Town Station to Sillim Station connects to Line 2, which leads to business districts such as Gangnam, Seolleung, and Samseong Stations. According to the resident registration population of Daehak-dong in October this year, the population increased across all age groups except those under 10 and over 90 compared to the same month last year. In particular, the population in their 20s, which had been declining since the abolition of the bar exam in 2017, has been increasing since the station opened. As of October last year, the population of people in their 20s in Daehak-dong was 6,107, which rose to 6,494 this October. The population in their 30s also increased by 382 when comparing October 2017 and this year. Mr. C, who runs a gosiwon, said, "Since the station opened, about 40% of the residents seem to be office workers commuting to Gangnam," adding, "Because rent and living costs in Gangnam are expensive, they look for rooms here."
An advertisement seeking tenants for a gosiwon is posted in front of the gosiwon entrance door. [Photo by Hwang Seoyul]
Some gosiwon have been fully equipped like studio apartments to meet the diversified demand. Mr. Lee (34, a real estate appraiser exam candidate), who lived in one gosiwon for three years and is currently looking for a new one, said, "Recently, since many ordinary people have been moving in, there are many fully furnished gosi-tels." Some places even call these gosiwon "mini studios." Mr. D, a gosiwon manager, said, "If a gosiwon room only has a desk, a mini studio has a bathroom and shower inside the room. Although smaller than a studio apartment, many prefer it because the deposit and rent are cheaper." Most gosiwon charge in the 200,000 KRW range for small rooms and up to 400,000 KRW for larger rooms, but in a newly built gosiwon fully equipped with washing machines and dryers in each room, monthly rent starts at a minimum of 650,000 KRW. The gosiwon also explained that many residents here are office workers in their 30s.
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