On those days, I would tiptoe back into the gosiwon halls at dawn, breathing a sigh of relief in knowing this was only temporary.

Friends and acquaintances kept treating me to food or drinks. I was only at a gosiwon because my rent had expired and I needed someplace to stay before I found a new place, but the word gosiwon had a real impact on my life.

I was lucky enough to have a window in my crammed little unit, and I could see the “man Go” part of “Human Gosiwon” printed on it in reverse.

When Auntie called and said she was going on a trip to Europe next month, I was lying in my bed at the Human Gosiwon. An Audiobook of 'The Things We Eat in Summer' by Song Ji Hyun.