South Korea: The sunlight almost never reaches Oh kee-cheol's basement apartment, similar to the scene in the famous movie "Parasites".

People can peek through a window into a basement apartment, or banjiha, of Oh, a 31-year-old logistics worker in the South Korean capital Seoul. Some young people sometimes smoke or spit just outside the apartment. In the summer, Oh's abode is so humid and moldy that it can't stand it.

The tiny restroom was about half a meter above the floor. The ceiling of the toilet was so low that he had to stand wide apart to avoid banging his head.

"At first when I moved here, I was often bruised by banging my legs on the steps or hitting the concrete wall," Oh said, adding that he was used to it.

Like the poor Kim family in the famous film "Parasite" by Korean director Bong Joon-son, thousands of young people in this country also live in shabby basement apartments, when trying to work. and hope for a brighter future.

Banjiha is not a new style of architecture in Seoul but a product of history. This small type of apartment appeared decades ago, when relations between the two Koreas were strained after the war.

In 1968, Korean special forces infiltrated South Korea to plot to assassinate President Park Chung-hee but failed, causing the risk of war escalating. In this context, the Korean government in 1970 required all newly constructed low-rise buildings to have basements to provide emergency shelter.

The original owner leased these basements, despite the law. When the housing crisis erupted in the 1980s, the Korean government was forced to legalize such basements.

In 2018, the United Nations identified the lack of affordable housing in South Korea as a major barrier, especially for the young and the poor, even though the country has the 11th largest economy in the world.

For Koreans under 35, the amount of money they have spent on renting houses has accounted for about 50% of their income in the past decade, so banjiha-style apartments have become a reasonable choice amidst the skyrocketing home prices. The rent of one banjiha per month is about 540,000 won (more than 450 USD), while the average income of people in their 20s is two million won (more than 1,600 USD).

Many people living in banjiha must try to overcome the stigma of society. "I feel very good with my apartment. I chose this place to save and have saved a lot of money thanks to that. But I can't stop people from pitying me. In Korea, everyone sees ownership." a good house or a car is important. I think banjiha represents poverty. Perhaps that is why my place determines who I am, "Oh said.

Park Young-jun, a 26-year-old photographer, watched the movie "Parasite" shortly after moving to his banjiha. The first reason he chose this place was simple: the space and the cost was reasonable. However, he could not help but notice the smell coming into his body after watching the movie. "I don't want my body to smell like the Kim family (the character in the movie)," Park said.

Last summer, he burned countless incense and turned on a dehumidifier almost every time. The film inspired him to remodel and decorate his home. "I don't want people to see me pitiful just because I live in the basement," Park explained.

Park and his girlfriend Shim Min made a vlog about remodeling their apartment. They were satisfied with the place but it took many months to get there.

"When my parents first came to the apartment, they were disappointed. The previous tenant was heavy smoker and my mother could not stand the smell," Park said.

Shim, a 24-year-old YouTuber, initially strongly opposed Park's intention to live in Banjiha. "I have a negative notion of banjiha. It doesn't look safe. It makes me think of the negative things in this city. I was born and raised in a high rise apartment so I was worried about my boyfriend if I stayed. That, "Shim shared.

But their video of the apartment has received positive feedback from viewers. Even some wish to have such stylish apartments.

"We love our place and are proud of what we have done," Shim said, adding that it doesn't mean they will live there forever. "We will move".

Oh is also saving money to buy a private home. Accepting to live in banjiha to save, he hopes his dream will come true soon. "What I regret most is that the April cat can't enjoy the sun through the window," Oh said.