[W Forum] Deposit 200 with Monthly Rent 25

Jeong Eungwi, Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

It is truly graduation season. “We present a bouquet of flowers to the sister who received a shining diploma. We will follow in her footsteps by studying with the books she passed down.” These days, the ‘Graduation Song’ is no longer sung. Perhaps because it sounds somewhat ‘old-fashioned’ in an era when books are no longer handed down, or because even graduation ceremonies have been replaced by virtual events, the scenes of congratulating with bouquets and taking photos have disappeared. In a time when many things are rapidly changing, schools send off graduates and welcome new students.

Many things change, but some things remain the same. One of the hardships faced by students moving from other regions to Seoul for their studies is finding a place to live. Reading about the reality of monthly rent rooms near university campuses in newspapers is heartbreaking. How many parents can generously support their college-aged children’s living expenses, tuition, and rent without holding a considerable sum of money? With low deposits and monthly rents, cockroaches, mold, and leaking bathrooms are not surprising. A house listed in the newspaper with a 2 million won deposit and 250,000 won monthly rent was described as being full of cobwebs and insects, and as dark as an abandoned house even in broad daylight.

In fact, housing issues are not only a problem for college students. Many young people are pushed into the workforce, so perhaps those who become college students are somewhat fortunate. Still, knowing how daunting it is to find a home in this vast city, someone needs to empathize with the feelings of young people who have left their homes and come to Seoul, which is why I am writing this. That winter, the biting cold wind of Seoul was harsh even for me, a twenty-year-old searching for a place to live. On a cold morning, my hands froze and I accidentally shattered a cup in a teahouse where I had taken refuge. My life in Seoul was not as bad as I had thought, but the memory of those desperate days remains vivid.

Although many things have improved in the world, the housing problems of college students have not gotten much better. “I rented a semi-basement room out of consideration for my parents. I stay in the library all day to save on heating costs. I feel very anxious because of the shouting in the alley.” The small grievances students express are likely not conveyed to their families, overwhelmed by the guilt of burdening their parents with rent and tuition. I am fortunate that, as a teacher, they can at least talk to me, and I try hard to be a listening ear.

Despite enduring college life with great difficulty, their studies do not necessarily progress in proportion to the money and patience invested. Even if they barely manage to complete four years of university, it is difficult to find a job in their desired field. College students facing housing problems are often forced to work part-time jobs throughout their university years and struggle with employment. This double burden means their anxiety and hardships are not simply limited to housing issues. In a world where life cycles such as entering university, graduating, finding a job, getting married, and having children no longer follow the patterns once taken for granted, let us not say, “Everyone grows up through hardship, so don’t complain and endure well.”

I recall the words of a friend who works on youth and low birthrate issues in frontline administration. The ‘low birthrate’ problem arises because hope for a sustainable life has not been given to the younger generation, and it cannot be solved by childbirth subsidies alone. It is certainly not a problem caused by the selfishness of young people. With a major election approaching and those promising to change the country stepping forward, I wonder how well they truly understand the anxieties, hardships, and pain of the youth. What kind of vision can the politics of this country offer for the uncertain days of life?

Jeong Eun-gwi, Professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.