나에게 고시원은 희망이었다. 서울 생활을 해보겠다고 무작정 고향을 떠날 수 있었던 것은 고시원이 있어서 가능했다. 고시원은 원래 고시생이 공부에만 집중할 수 있는 거주 형태로 시작했지만, 보증금 없이 월세만 내면 살 수 있어서 다양한 사람들이 거주하고 있었다. 이 사실은 그곳에 머물던 나에겐 당연했다. 그러던 어느 날, 나는 처음 본 사람에게 ‘저 고시원 살아요.’라고 말했고, 그는 ‘고시 준비 중이에요?’라고 물었다. 나는 기분이 언짢았다. 마치 내 공간이 부정당한 듯했다. 다시 생각해보면 틀린 말이 아니었다. 내가 이런 보편적인 반응에 적잖이 충격을 받은 이유는 무엇일까. 그것은 고시원에 고시생만 사는 게 아니라는 것을 그가 몰랐기 때문이었다. 이 계기로 알려야겠다는 마음이 들어 고시원을 찍기 시작했다. [고시텔] 작업은 10개월간 고시원에 거주하며 진행했다. 사람들과 친해지고 허락받는데 오랜 시간이 걸렸지만, 촬영은 셔터 소리만큼 한순간이었다. 나는 최대한 객관적으로 보여주고 싶어서 부감으로 찍었다. 또한 부감이 공간을 보여주기에도 적합했다. 사람들에게 촬영 전 천장에 카메라를 설치하는 내 모습을 보여주었다. 나는 같은 멘트를 하고, 타이머를 누르고 방문 밖으로 나갔다. 그러자 사람들은 카메라 앞에서 모두 다르게 포즈를 취했다. 촬영하며 친해질수록 내가 이 사람들을 이용한다는 생각에 괴로워했다. 나는 경제적, 심리적 한계에 도달했고, 계획보다 앞서 작업을 중단했다. 그때는 이 사진을 모두 불태워 버리고 싶었다. 하지만 이미 이 사진은 너의 것이 아니고 공공의 것이라는 선배 작가의 말로 인해 세상에 보이게 되었다. 부감 사진만으로 보여주고 싶었지만 사진 작업이 부족하여 다른 사진들까지 포함했다. 결과적으로 더 풍성해졌다. 전시하고 기사가 나면서 고시원에 살거나 살았던 사람들의 연락을 받았다. 위로받았다고 했다. 그들은 [고시텔] 작업으로 일상의 큰 변화는 없었지만, 많은 사람이 고시원에 대해 새롭게 알게 되면서 유대감과 비슷한 마음을 느끼지 않았나 싶다. 

Gosiwon is actually built for examinees preparing for various tests such as the state bar exam or civil service examinations.

It was a pretty small room only for sleeping and studying. But the current Gosiwon has became a low cost living space without a deposit. Even if you want to get a small studio in Seoul, you will need quite expensive deposit and the rent is also high. That’s why some people who don’t have enough money live in Gosiwon for a wile. Also some others use it as their homes for more than 10 years.

Gosiwon has a small space where only one people can lie down. Living in this place has advantages and disadvantages. First of all, sleeping in a very small bed makes feel inconvenient. Moreover, even if you close the door and stay alone, you don’t seem to be alone. The noise from other rooms and the popularity of the corridor are felt. In the Gosiwon near companies and universities, many young people live in. Thus individualism is more respected. On the other hand, For the case of poor villages, there might be an exchange like neighbors. They seemed to not leave Gosiwon but seemed lonely.

However, my first living in Gosiwon was better than what I expected. I could live a simple life with a few clothes and luggages in a small room. It was a place that made me feel the charm of minimalist life unintentionally.

The life in Gosiwon is not a terrible atmosphere of poor people. Of course, cheap Gosiwons might have such things but there are people satisfied with such life, so if you worry about them, you should feel sorry for them.

Gosiwon may seem as a type of housing emerged as an alternative to high rent cost in Seoul. Without it, I could not think of going to Seoul from my home town Gangneung which is the local city. For this reason, some young people, having just taken their first step into the real worl, live in Gosiwon until they save enough money for lent a house. And many students preparing for exams such as civil service examinations are still living in that small space. It also serves as a home for people who may end up living on the streets or who became a total wreck in body and mind. In terms of this, Gosiwon is a hope, not a despair.

It depends on the quality of facilities. The Gosiwon in my photos is the cheapest and its rent is about $200. Others having good facilities is about $500. The room including a bathroom is more expensive as $5. The room having a window is more expensive than those of not. Also the rent is different according to how a widow is towards for corridor or outside.
Cheaper Gosiwons are not satisfactory for heating and cooling facilities. It is cold in winter and hot in summer, thus some people use a private stove in their room in winter and wear only underpants in summer. Odor depends on their environment and the cleaning system. The Gosiwon in my photos had bad smell over the length and breadth of the room because it was not cleaned properly. About cooking… there is a sharing kitchen. A cooker, the dishes, rice and Kimchi are provided as a standard. The more expensive Gosiwon provides ramen and eggs, with rice and kimchi. The rooms are self cleaned and the corridor, kitchen and restrooms are run by the staff. So as you can guess, expensive Gosiwons have better heating and cooling system and are clean.

Gosiwon is usually divided by for men and for women. Even there is a Gosiwon for men or women only. Although there were rooms for women in Gosiwon I had lived, few women lived there. It is not easy to suggest to take photos a woman’s room there because I am a man.

Now, I am living in my hometown, Gangneung, with my parents.