By Stephen Simon
Residents of Seoul’s tiny one-room settlements, known locally as jjokbang villages, are struggling to survive as South Korea experiences its first-ever severe heatwave warning, exposing the harsh reality faced by thousands of the city’s poorest people.
Many of the elderly and low-income residents live in cramped rooms measuring only a few square metres, often without adequate air conditioning or ventilation. As temperatures soared this week, occupants sought relief by sitting under cooling mist stations, fanning themselves with cardboard, or queuing for free meals and cold drinking water provided by volunteers and charitable organisations.
For many residents, leaving their rooms during the hottest hours of the day has become a daily survival strategy. Inside the single-room dwellings, temperatures can become unbearable, forcing occupants to spend hours outdoors despite the oppressive heat. Community centres and temporary cooling shelters have become safe havens for vulnerable residents, particularly senior citizens living alone.
Health officials have warned that prolonged exposure to extreme heat significantly increases the risk of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke, especially among older people and those with underlying medical conditions. Authorities have expanded emergency response measures, while volunteers continue to check on isolated residents and distribute water, fans and cooling supplies.
The jjokbang communities have long symbolised the widening gap between South Korea’s economic prosperity and the struggles of those left behind. Despite the country’s reputation as one of Asia’s most advanced economies, thousands of people continue to live in the tiny rooms because they cannot afford conventional housing. Social welfare groups say rising living costs have only worsened their plight.
Climate experts warn that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense due to global warming, placing greater pressure on governments to protect vulnerable populations. They argue that heatwaves are no longer simply seasonal events but public health emergencies requiring long-term planning and investment in resilient housing and social support systems.
As temperatures remain high, residents of Seoul’s jjokbang villages hope for cooler weather but acknowledge that their greatest challenge extends beyond the heat. For many, the struggle is not only to survive the current weather but also to escape the cycle of poverty that has kept them in some of the city’s smallest and most fragile homes.
