"The Basement Is Not for Sale... It's My Personal Space," Says Former Owner
Court Recognizes Basement Ownership for Current Homeowner
A story has emerged from China that left people in shock, as it was discovered that a former homeowner had been hiding in the house for seven years, making the movie 'Parasite' appear in real life.
On the 2nd, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that Mr. Li Mo, from Jiangsu Province in eastern China, discovered that the previous homeowner had been hiding in his house for seven years. Mr. Li had purchased a house in the city center in 2018 for about 2 million yuan (approximately 400 million KRW). The Li family was very satisfied with the beautiful house and convenient transportation.
However, while recently organizing items in the house, a movie-like moment unfolded. Mr. Li discovered a hidden door behind the stairs. This door led to a basement.
The hidden spacious basement was perfectly equipped with a ventilation system, lighting, and even a small bar. Mr. Li found clear evidence that someone had been living there. He immediately called the previous owner, Mr. Zhang, to confront him about why he had hidden the existence of the basement. However, Mr. Zhang responded arrogantly, saying, "I sold the house, but I have no obligation to disclose that there is a basement," and added, "If the basement is yours, then where am I supposed to relax during my leisure time?" He claimed the basement was his personal space and was not included in the transaction. However, it remains a mystery how the former owner accessed the basement.
Nevertheless, the court ordered Mr. Zhang to pay monetary compensation. Additionally, the court ruled that ownership of the basement belongs to Mr. Li. Local netizens who heard this story criticized Mr. Zhang as the "real parasite," calling it a real-life version of director Bong Joon-ho's 2019 film 'Parasite.'
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
