"All the noise from the next room can be heard" - Listening to college students' stories about their rented rooms

[Financial News] More than half of the college students living in rented rooms in Seoul indicated that they would not recommend their current living space to others.
The 'Loop' campus community house operated by PCP Standard conducted a '2025 College Student Rental Room Survey' targeting 600 college students in Seoul. The respondents showed generally low satisfaction with their rented rooms despite paying high monthly rents.
The main reason for starting to rent was 'shortening commute time' (55.5%), followed by 'securing privacy' (24.8%). Notably, a significant number of respondents chose to rent despite living in Seoul and the metropolitan area, with 40% of respondents preferring rented rooms within walking distance without the intention to use public transportation. This is interpreted as a problem of absolute shortage of dormitory supply and a structure that excludes even those living nearby from priority. The burden of waiting for dormitory lottery, fatigue from communal living, and demand for independent space acted in combination.
Additionally, 56.6% of respondents were living in high-rent rooms paying over 500,000 won, 32.3% over 600,000 won, and 9.1% over 700,000 won. The main reasons for discomfort in rented rooms were basic living environment issues such as mold, poor soundproofing, and lack of lighting. Despite the increased housing costs, the problem of not guaranteeing a comfortable environment was revealed. When asked about the criteria for choosing a rented room, 'building age and whether it is newly built' (42.8%), 'room structure' (31.0%), and 'availability of options' (22.7%) were mentioned. This shows that 'new construction' and 'convenience facilities' are important choices.
A PCP Standard representative explained, "Existing one-room villages near universities are aging, and considering students' financial situations, they are relatively expensive yet fail to provide a comfortable environment. Students are showing demand for better facilities and environments," adding, "This indicates the growth potential of the 'Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA)' market."
Meanwhile, the global PBSA market is projected to grow from approximately $12.72 billion in 2024 to approximately $19.65 billion by 2033, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.95%. In Korea, as a solution to the housing shortage for single-person households, the 'rental dormitory' system was newly introduced by amending the Building Act Enforcement Decree in March 2023.

ming@fnnews.com Jeon Min-kyung Reporter