Physical improvement directions for goshiwons as an alternative of livable micro-house in South Korea

ABSTRACT

Seeing the potential of goshiwons, Korea’s low-cost single occupancy accommodation, to be a livable and affordable micro-house, this study aims to offer suggestions for future improvements based on the emerging theory of micro-housing. A quantitative approach with structural equation modeling (SEM) was first conducted to test six proposed hypotheses. The first three hypotheses are that there are positive correlations between the current livability of goshiwons and (i) location, (ii) quality of the building and shared facilities, and (iii) room condition. The next three hypotheses emphasize that improving these three physical aspects will improve the degree of livability. An interview qualitative approach to relevant respondents was also applied in which the result further explains the quantitative result. Room conditions that include limited access to natural light, poor air circulation, lack of storage, and poor soundproofing are the main issues for the poor living environment of goshiwon. For future improvements, the location of goshiwon should also be considered as an addition to room condition. This is because, while the location of goshiwons is beneficial in terms of proximity to various facilities, the respondents wished for goshiwons to be located in a quieter and safer environment, away from late-night entertainment establishments.

KEYWORDS:

• Goshiwons
• Korean housing studies
• micro-housing
• affordable housing
• livable house

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport [22TSRD-C151228-04].

Notes on contributors

Odilia Renaningtyas Manifesty

Odilia Renaningtyas Manifesty is a PhD candidate at the Korea University Urban Lab (KUUL), Department of Architecture and a teaching staff at the Gadjah Mada University. Her research focuses on the association between urban space and how it affects human comfort and behavior.

Byunghak Min

Byunghak Min is a research professor at the Department of Smart City, Korea University. His research focuses on the sustainable operation of smart cities and strategies in urban design for energy consumption optimization.

Seiyong Kim

Seiyong Kim is a professor at the Department of Architecture, Korea University and the head of the Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation. His research focuses on housing studies in Korea and strategies in creating livable urban space for future cities.