Shanghai 1.5-Pyeong Ultra-Mini Apartment Monthly Rent 57,000 Won Popular
Shanghai Studio Average Rent About 980,000 Won
High Rent Drives Popularity of 'Ultra-Small Apartments'
Real Estate Agent "A Dream Home... Too Good to Miss"
Recently in China, 'micro-apartments' with cramped spaces where toilets and beds are combined have gained popularity due to expensive rental fees.
On the 2nd (local time), Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that micro-apartments in Shanghai, China, which were rented for 300 yuan per month (about 57,000 KRW), quickly sold out through word of mouth. The apartment has a narrow area of about 5㎡ (1.5 pyeong), and when you open the front door and go up the stairs, there is a door to the bathroom-cum-bedroom on the left and a sink on the right. The bedroom is located right behind the toilet. There is no separate partition between the bed and the toilet.
In the property advertisement video, the real estate agent said, "It's truly a dream home," and added, "It's an opportunity too good to miss in the Shanghai real estate market." The apartment includes a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and living room, but the rent is only about 60,000 KRW per month, making it an exceptional price. He continued, "It even has a small loft structure. However, the stairs are steep, so you need to be careful," and warned, "Be cautious when showering, or else the bed might get wet."
This advertisement caused a significant stir among young workers struggling to make a living in Shanghai. The average rent for a studio apartment in Shanghai is 5,134 yuan per month (about 980,000 KRW). However, half of Shanghai's population earns less than 6,000 yuan (about 1,140,000 KRW) per month, and those working in service jobs such as waiters or security guards earn an average monthly salary of only 3,500 to 5,000 yuan (about 660,000 to 950,000 KRW).
Due to high rents, properties with monthly rents under 1,000 yuan (about 190,000 KRW) are sold immediately upon listing. In fact, the 1.5-pyeong property shown in the advertisement was immediately sold to a taxi driver. Local netizens who saw the micro-apartment expressed various reactions, such as "I can't imagine how hard it must be for people living here," and "Actually, it's not that bad. I think it's okay to endure this much hardship as long as you make money."
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