Hasukjib

Hasukjib are usually offered with a bed, desk, mini fridge and sometimes a television. Facilities such as bathrooms, kitchen, laundry rooms and living rooms are often shared by the tenants, however some hasukjib have their own private bathroom. The rent of hasukjib are determined by the quality of the room, the size, its facilities and whether or not the room is shared. Breakfast and dinner are often included in the rent and served by the owner.[3][4]

Most hasukjib separate male and female tenants by floor with each floor having its own facilities such as bathrooms and laundry rooms, but some hasukjib are for women only.[5]

Hasukjib are similar to goshiwon (Korean: 고시원) which is another type of housing in South Korea that they are often compared to. While goshiwon are cheaper, hasukjib are larger in size and offer meals, while typically goshiwon do not.[6][4]

Rooms range from being 6.6 m² or less to as large as 13.2 m², and rent varies by size. Because it typically targets students, they are often found around university areas.[5]

In 2001, Kim Hoo-ran of Korea JoongAng Daily wrote an article about foreign students living in South Korea where Gu Yeon-hee, the deputy director of the international cooperation division at the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development stated that students typically resort to hasukjib because of the shortage of dormitory space, but students "report having difficulty adjusting to problems such as a lack of privacy". Lee Seok-jae, a director at the National Institute for International Education Development, also stated that one of the other complaints is "the difficulty finding hasukjib that will accept foreigners".[1]