"The Smell of Cigarettes in the Elevator Makes Me Want to Vomit"—Apartment Residents Clash Over Smoking Issue [What Do You Think?]

[The Financial News] As disputes over smoking within apartments continue, cigarette odors in the elevator have now become a new source of conflict. Stories of residents suffering from the lingering smell after someone uses the elevator post-smoking, as well as rebuttals to these complaints, have spread online, sparking heated debates among netizens.

The controversy over smoking in elevators, in addition to indoor and inter-floor smoking, began on the 4th when a post appeared on a social networking service (SNS) stating, "A dispute over notes has arisen because of the cigarette smell in our apartment elevator."
A photo shared by the poster shows a note inside the elevator that reads, "To those who smoke and then take the elevator, the disgusting cigarette smell makes it impossible to breathe. I feel like vomiting—please, have mercy."
Another photo shows a response, presumably from a smoker, attached above the original note: "Should I smoke at home then? I already smoke outside to be considerate, so I don't care if you feel sick or not." The reply also included, "Where do you live? Which unit are you in?" along with some profanity.
The smoker's note sparked outrage among other residents. Some responded with additional notes: "You worry about what others think at home, do the same outside. Don't cause trouble for others—the smell is disgusting," "If you want to smoke alone and die alone, fine, but are you trying to kill us all?" and "Who are you?" The original poster asked, "What would be a wise solution?"

Netizens were split between concerns about public nuisance and individual freedom. Some argued that, since the elevator is a shared space, people should be mindful of odors that could bother others. Others countered that, because it is a communal area, it is unreasonable to expect everyone to accommodate every preference.
One netizen, identifying as a non-smoker, commented, "I'd appreciate it if people waited for the smell to dissipate before getting in the elevator, but I can't demand it." Another said, "If you take food waste out, the elevator will smell like food waste. If you bring up fried chicken, it will smell like chicken. It's only natural. If you write that it's disgusting and makes you want to vomit, of course you'll get a harsh response. Maybe if it had been phrased more politely, there wouldn't have been a fight."
Some suggested citing a Constitutional Court of Korea precedent that smoking rights should be recognized as long as they do not infringe on non-smokers' rights. Others proposed, "After smoking, wait at least 10 minutes before entering the elevator," or, "Since it's a shared space, let's be considerate and wait a bit after smoking—asking is reasonable, but forcing is too much." Another pointed out, "At the very least, shake off your clothes before coming in. The problem isn't smoking itself, but the lack of smoking etiquette."
Conflicts over smoking in apartments have been ongoing. According to an 'Apartment Report' released last October by the apartment living support platform Apartment i, more than 400 smoking-related complaints are filed each month. Of the 500,000 apartment complaints registered with management offices between January 2022 and June 2025, about 20,000 were related to smoking.
Furthermore, in November last year, a resident in their 50s in an apartment in Cheongju was booked without detention after posting a murder threat in the elevator, along with a news article about a murder triggered by cigarette smoke, claiming that cigarette odors from outside kept entering their home.
bng@fnnews.com Kim Hee-sun Reporter