This article is by Yoon Seung-jin and read by an artificial voice.

It all started with an "emergency" when German student Lydia Rouka returned to Korea from vacation only to find that her room and all her clothes were covered in mold - a water pipe had burst while she was away.
"I was really shocked, and it was in the middle of the semester, so I had no other options but a gosiwon. At first, I was going to stay for a month, but I ended up living here until now," said Rouka, who has lived in a gosiwon in Mapo District, western Seoul, for nine months. "Yes, gosiwon rooms are small, and I barely get sunlight, but somehow I found my own ways to make the best out of it."
Gosiwon rooms are a type of small, affordable housing in Korea that originated as study rooms for students preparing for gosi (important exams such as professional license tests). Once temporary shelters for exam-takers, gosiwon are now emerging as an alternative housing option for many international students and expats.

"We are getting more and more inquiries about gosiwon from international students these days," said Ryan Shin, a real estate agent of Residence First based in Sinchon, western Seoul. "I'd say I get two to three inquiries from international students every day."
According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of foreign residents in two major gosiwon clusters - Noryangjin 1-dong and Daehak-dong - reached 4,514 last year, a three-fold increase from 1,429 in 2017.
"The main reasons are the low deposits and short leases," Shin added.
Real estate platform Dabang reported in May that the average deposit for monthly rent contracts for studios was 10 million won ($6,972), with an average monthly rent of 730,000 won.

In contrast, gosiwon rooms around major university districts in Seoul range from 220,000 to 500,000 won per month, with deposits between 100,000 and 500,000 won, according to the platform.
Amid the rising popularity of gosiwon among international students, the Korea JoongAng Daily met three international students who live in gosiwon - Rouka, Ines Bengochea from France and Mariia Hrabovska from Ukraine - to hear their stories, the pros and cons of gosiwon life and tips for newcomers considering such housing option.
Q. What was your first impression of Korean gosiwon?
A. Rouka: It was really shocking when I first visited a few gosiwon rooms. I could already see cockroaches, and the rooms were moldy. It was just what people imagine when they think of gosiwon. But as I toured more, I found rooms with better conditions.
Bengochea: My first impression was, "Oh, is this a Barbie room?" because it was smaller than I expected. Still, I was happy I didn't have to live in a dorm anymore. I had a hard time living with others in my freshman year, so I'd say it was half good, half bad.
Hrabovska: I didn't really have any thoughts. I just thought living in a small room was what it takes to live abroad. The size didn't matter to me.

What made you decide to live in a gosiwon?
Rouka: The fact that I could move in and out whenever I wanted. I was basically homeless after the pipe burst at my old place, and most studios or share houses were already taken since it was in the middle of a semester.
Bengochea: Mainly because I feared scams. Jeonse (a housing system where tenants pay a large lump-sum deposit to a landlord) scams are well-known among international students. I have friends who rent apartments, but from what I've heard, it's quite hard to find a trustworthy realtor. I was afraid of losing a large amount of money.
Hrabovska: Location. Most gosiwon rooms are close to subway stations and universities, but still cheap. Since I love sleeping, I thought I could cut my commute time and spend less time on public transport. Plus, major spots and convenience stores are nearby.
Are there similar types of small rooms in your country?
Rouka: No, there's nothing like gosiwon in Germany or other European countries I've been to.
Bengochea: Yes. In Paris,...

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