Put them Kalbi here!

Put them Kalbi here!
A traditional Korean BBQ set up: grill in the middle and kalbi steak ready to sizzle. The steak is sliced to bite-size with scissors and wrapped in lettuce with garlic, kimchi, chili paste, rice, and vegetables

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Life at the Hasukjib

Before I came to Seoul, I knew I wanted to live in a hasukjib. Not only did I crave the home cooked Korean meals provided by the Ajumma. I desired, more than anything, to befriend Korean speakers so I can practice my oral skills.





A Hasukjib is a traditional Korean boarding house, popular amongst college students for their cheap monthly rent. Hasukjibs are ubiquitous in Shinchon, and mine happens to be tucked way up the Love Motel hill(which explains the jazzy lights and naked-girls playing cards strewn on the street). Each hasukjib is run by an Ajumma (middle-aged women) and sometimes an Ajushi(the Ajumma's husband) who become the ruling parents during your stay.

For 400,000 won (~390 US dollars) a month I got a small, windowless bedroom equipped with a make-shift desk, bookshelf, cable TV, a small refrigerator, and free internet. I have just enough room to lie on the floor in pencil position and wonder what the weather is like beyond my four-cornered cave.

But that's as bad as it gets. The Ajumma is super friendly and her sister rocks at cooking! I am yet to wake up in the morning and find the breakfast table set with anything less than five types of ban-chan (Korean appetizers) .

And my dream came true:D I've shared meals in Korean with my newbie hasuk buddies, which surprisingly, only one had been a native Korean student. My international friends and neighbors include 4 Austrian girls, 3 Japanese boys, 2 kids from Princeton University, and a guy who can't chew with his mouth closed, from Bangladesh.



PS. check out the bathroom photo! i love the challenge of showering in Korea. you basically lean over a sink or drain in the floor and use cold water from a hand-held shower head.




share on:facebook

6 comments:

  1. 友達のロジャーや。彼の部屋は私のより二倍のサイズで大きな個人トイレと窓があるからうらやましいいいい!

    ReplyDelete
  2. My Gosh, I also lived in such conditions but luckily only for a month :)My condolences :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello, Does your hasukjib allowing rent for 1 month only? if yes, what's your hasukjib name? would you mind to share the address? thank you ^^

    ReplyDelete
  4. How did you manage to find your hasukjib?

    ReplyDelete