South Korea is phasing out ‘Parasite’-style semi-basement homes

Context

South Korea’s capital Seoul has announced a phase-out of semi-basement flats after 13 people died during flooding earlier this week, and three died stranded in such homes. 

Key-points

• These semi-basement homes gained prominence following the release of Bong Joon-ho’s Oscar-winning 2019 movie ‘Parasite’, that depicted the lives of people in a low-income family who had been compelled by their socio-economic circumstances to live in a semi-basement home in Seoul, called ‘banjiha’ in Korean.

What are these semi-basement homes?

• Banjihas were first built in the 1970s to serve as bunkers as tensions between South Korea and North Korea increased. 
• Although these spaces had not been built for residential purposes, that changed when Seoul grew as a metropolis over the following decades to accommodate the inflow of migrant workers.
• The unsuitability of these banjihas for residential purposes is apparent in how their occupants are constantly battling problems like inadequate ventilation, drainage, mould, lack of sunlight etc, some of which were also depicted in ‘Parasite’. 
• The spaces are extremely cramped, though they sometimes also accommodate families.
• But the demand for these types of accommodation have grown because of how unaffordable Seoul’s real estate has become, particularly for the young, working class.