What is Behind Korea’s Apartment Fever?

Valérie Gelézeau a parlé dans une émission parue sur Arirang

(cf. Apateu Konghwaguk – La république des appartements, 2007, Humanitas, Seoul)

In this episode of ‘What is’, we find out more about Korea’s love affair with apartments, by far the most ubiquitous and highly-preferred form of housing among people in the country, with data showing that more than half of all Koreans lived in apartments as of 2020. So how and why did apartments become so popular?

Experts have attributed this phenomenon to the many amenities that come with apartments as well as their potential to be a lucrative long-term investment. But at the same time, rising prices and the emergence of premium ‘brand name’ apartments have also threatened to exacerbate the country’s growing disparities between the rich and poor. In this episode of ‘What is’, we delve into the history of apartments in Korea and discover what they symbolize to ordinary Koreans in the present day.

Guests

• PARK In-suk, Professor of Architecture / Myongji University
• PARK Hab-soo, Professor of Real Estate Studies / Konkuk University
• HAM Young-jin, Head / Big Data Lab, Zigbang
• KO Jong-wan, Professor of Real Estate Convergence / Hanyang University
• Valerie GELEZEAU, Professor / EHESS