"Narrow Chicken Coop vs. Spacious Old Building"... The Dilemma of 'Young-Kkul' Generation: New Small vs. Old Large

Regarding housing types, the choice between old large-sized apartments that prioritize 'cost-effectiveness' and new small-sized apartments that emphasize 'convenience' is emerging as a major dilemma for the 'Young-Kkul' generation (those who leveraged all their assets to buy homes). In 'City Lunchbox Season 2' released by Incheon Urban Corporation TV, comedian Kim Jin-ju and lawyer Im Hyeon-seo debated the practical advantages and disadvantages of each housing type.

"Number of rooms and space utilization are key"... The spatial freedom of old large apartments

Those advocating for old large-sized apartments cited spatial freedom and scalability as their main arguments. Mentioning her characteristics as a maximalist, Kim Jin-ju argued that large floor areas are advantageous for storing items filled with memories and securing the number of rooms needed as the egos of family members grow. In particular, she emphasized that for families raising children, various spaces are needed, such as studies for education, playrooms, or guest rooms to accommodate parents.

Lawyer Im Hyeon-seo pointed out the infrastructure aspect of old apartments. A strength of old apartments is their stability, as they already have established living infrastructure such as proven academy districts, public transportation, large hospitals, and shopping malls. On the other hand, she noted that in the case of new complexes, volatility may occur during the process of new commercial districts or infrastructure being formed.

"Latest features and defect repair"... The overwhelming convenience of new small apartments

On the other hand, those supporting new small-sized apartments emphasized the latest designs and ease of management. Kim Jin-ju cited community facilities (such as kids' cafes), latest interiors, and spatial configurations reflecting ergonomic design as advantages of new apartments. She also mentioned that new apartments have well-equipped parking systems, resulting in less parking stress.

Lawyer Im Hyeon-seo explained the institutional advantages of new apartments. In the case of new constructions carried out by large corporations, there is an obligation to perform defect repairs within a legally defined period according to the Multi-Family Housing Management Act and other regulations. The fact that a system is in place to receive after-sales service through the construction company when problems occur is a point of differentiation from old apartments. Additionally, it was presented as a major feature that reinforced inter-floor noise prevention standards are applied to new constructions.

Conflict between interior costs and lifestyle patterns

The two participants also shared opinions on the practical costs and lifestyle patterns to consider when choosing housing. It was discussed that if an old apartment is chosen, the space can be improved through interior design, but limitations regarding structural parts that cannot be touched, such as load-bearing walls, and conflicts with neighbors arising during the construction process (such as securing consent forms) can be a burden.

In contrast, while new apartments provide the convenience of a 'stock' state where everything is provided, it was contrasted with the difficulty of expressing the individuality of individual households. Ultimately, whether to value spacious areas and proven infrastructure, or to prioritize latest features and systematic management systems, is expected to be the key variable determining the final choice of the 'Young-Kkul' generation.

Source: original video (YouTube)