Goshiwon - My Personal Review

I am currently staying in Goshiwon.

My room size - length 195cm, width 165cm, height 230cm

Almost a month now.

How did I find this goshiwon?

Easy.. cause now we have English website to find goshiwon or hasukjib. At least, one worry less. Don't know Korean?..then it's another story. heheh ^^

• Goshipages - I love love this resourceful page. Good for you who lack the language.
• Gosi1 - This is a hardcore one. ONLY in Korean but I love it as it's all under one roof and you can compare prices, facilities and find the cheapest of them all!!

As you know, my number one priority is $$$ aka budget. 

I had put my limit to be less than 300,000 won ~ RM900 per month. 

Omigosh..RM900?!! for a rat hole..that's about a fully furnished middle sized apartment's monthly rental rate in maybe Shah  Alam or Kajang (please correct me cause I might be wrong).

But what comes with this 300,000won goshiwon?

• small...really small room - fits a single bed x 2..that's how big my room is
• a small fridge
• a small television - I have 7 channels: TV shopping, KBS1, KBS2, MBC, EBS, Recital/Orchestra, CBS
• Internet connection - just LAN, no wifi
• free rice and kimchi - all the time
• inclusive of utility bills - water, gas, electricity
• separate bathroom, shower room and kitchen
• separate laundry room - free detergent

My review

I have stayed in dormitory style room since the age of 13 and I couldn't care less about the size. When I was young, I told my mother that when I grow up I just want a house the size of police barrack cause I hate to tidy up my room. Hahaha...big room will have big mess. Right? 

I love Japanese style home..really clean, minimal decoration, Zen....so I will just get a maid to do all the cleaning..haha. So lazy me! I bet when I have my own house, I just have a Kotatsu (Japanese style) and Japanese ikebana at a corner of my house. Honest!

Mother: "So where will I sit down? Not even a sofa?"

Me: "Nope. I want to keep my house simple and neat. So you can sit on the floor."
Mother: "I won't come to your home, ever!!"
Me: "Hahaha so that's why I don't have a home till now. I know you will hate it."

Note: My mother don't speak English, I just translated our conversation. ^^ Arghh..I miss my nagging mother!

OMG..where is my review? hahaha..

Ok..seriously, let's go to my REAL point now.

There's no social life if you stay in Goshiwon. Frankly, it's just a place for me to sleep.

Why don't I just stay in a guesthouse? I want a personal room. Cheap one. Period.

Single or personal room will set me off from 30,000won ~ 50,000won per night.
If the cheapest personal room in a guesthouse is 30,000won per night x 30 nights = 900,000won. 
Not cost effective!

My daily life: I wake up at 7am, take the train at 8am and have class from 10am to 9pm every day during weekdays. Reach home at about 10 or 11pm and the cycle goes on everyday. 


Weekend: I will try to catch up on my sleep or meeting some friends or go to Itaewon mosque for Muslims meetup on Saturdays.

If I have tourists: I will just attend the night class and forego my morning one. There you go, good student! *a pat on my back* hehe..well, money is the fuel for keeping my expenses anyway.

I am yet to discover the coziness of hasukjib though. A friend told me the room is bigger, with nice banchan ( side dishes) for breakfast and dinner. No lunch though. But you get to socialize more with the people in hasukjib and get to talk with the ahjumma as well. My friend paid at least 400,000won.

But I attend school everyday and sometimes I miss speaking in English or Malay you know? heheh..well..my classmates are Chinese, Japanese, Myanmar and Vietnamese so they hardly speak English. Hence, I don't see the difference if I stay in goshiwon or hasukjib.

My goshiwon is on the 4th floor, no elevator and about 5 minutes walking distance from the subway. I have no major complaint as of now except for the unstable internet connection and no WiFi option.

My goshiwon's rooftop but no Rooftop Prince here! T_T

Do I feel lonely now living by myself, alone? Somewhat..T_T but I'm enjoying every seconds. So much time to reflect on my past, presence and the future.

How to book a goshiwon?

You have to email or call.

Calling being the fastest of the two options but if you have time on hand, emailing would be less nerve wracking.

My calling script: 

요보세요. 방을 찾고 싶은데요.
Yoboseyo. Bang el chajgo shippen de yo.
Hello. I'm looking for a room.

제일 작은 방이 얼마예요?
Jae il jagen bang ee olmayeyo?
How much is the smallest room?

창문이 있는 방이 있으세요?
Changmun it nen bang ee isse seyo?
Do you have room with window?

얼마예요?
Olmayeyo?
How much?

언제 가능해요?
Onjae ganeng hae yo?
When is possible to enter/to book?

예약금 어떻게 돼요?
Yeyak gem ottohke dwae yo?
How much should I pay for the booking?

Note: It's better for you to go personally and check the room before you pay the deposit.

I know it's not a comprehensive guide but still...
Hope it would help those who want to find a cheaper option than a guesthouse.