[SHOT!] 'No One Over 40'—Age Limits Spread in Korean Shared Housing
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Shared housing and gosi-tels (budget boarding houses) in Seoul are increasingly imposing upper age limits, with many listings refusing residents over their 30s or 40s. Managers say young tenants—students and workers in their 20s–30s—prefer living with peers and expect house rules and manners, so properties (often newly remodeled) limit applicants to maintain a certain atmosphere and safety. In one district, 19 of 29 share houses listed age restrictions; several gosi-tels also set cutoffs and even limit nationality to create a quiet study environment. Critics warn this market-driven practice risks deepening age-based prejudice similar to 'no-kids zones,' and experts urge clearer disclosure of reasons and broader social discussion if the trend expands, since older single residents also need affordable, short-term housing options. (gosi-tel: a low-cost boarding house, sometimes with small private bathrooms)
