Bathhouses save Seoul's vulnerable residents during extreme weather

Residents of a jjokbang (tiny room) village take shelter from the nighttime heat at Dongnam Sauna in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, at 9 p.m., Aug. 4. Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-seop

"This year, I can take a shower at the bathhouse and sleep somewhere with air conditioning, so I don't have to worry about anything."

Those were the words of 60-year-old Seo Jeom-yeol, a resident of a "jjokbang" (tiny room) village, whom we met at 9 p.m. on Tuesday at Dongnam Sauna, located in the basement of a commercial building near Yeongdeungpo Market in western Seoul. As the city's nighttime low reached 29.1 degrees Celsius, Seo smiled and said, "You start sweating just by standing outside. Here, I can sleep comfortably in the cool air, wash up in the morning and head out. I don't have to worry about waking up because it's too hot."

About 10 residents from nearby jjokbang communities had gathered at the sauna that evening. Using vouchers distributed by a local counseling center, they are allowed to use the facility free of charge every night from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following day. Although the overnight stay normally costs 12,000 won, Seoul Metropolitan Government subsidies allow jjokbang residents to use the sauna at no cost throughout July and August.

Amid this summer's extreme heat, the city's Companion Bathhouse program has become a popular refuge for jjokbang residents. For those living in cramped rooms without fans or air conditioners, heat waves are more than an inconvenience — they are a serious threat to survival. The bathhouses have become not just places to escape the heat, but essential shelters.

Since the city launched six nighttime heat shelters last month, they have recorded 990 visits. Dongnam Sauna alone accounted for 360 visits, averaging about 14 users per night.

After bathing, residents gather in the sauna lounge to chat before going to sleep. One resident, who has lived alone in a jjokbang room for decades, said, "We gather with neighbors around the same age, watch TV, talk and sleep together. It feels like an old-fashioned neighborhood gathering place."

Another resident, Kim Young-mi, 56, said the facility also helps protect vulnerable neighbors.

"These days, so many people are dying from heat-related illnesses that it's impossible not to worry about the elderly around us," she said. "Since everyone here knows each other, we can check on one another's health and make sure everyone is doing okay."

During the daytime, the facility operates as a regular public bathhouse. Residents who often lack adequate bathing facilities receive vouchers for two visits per month, which increase to four visits during the summer months of July and August and the winter months of January and February.

Dongnam Sauna is outdated, but it serves as a vital refuge for local residents. Korea Times photo by Kim Ji-seop

According to Dongnam Sauna owner Seo Hyun-jung, 66, the program has brought visible changes to many participants.

"At first, most people simply came to wash and leave," she said. "Now they take better care of their hair and pay more attention to how they dress. It's not just their appearance that has changed — their expressions are softer and the way they speak has become gentler. It made me realize how something as simple as bathing can change a person."

Benefits for small business owners

The program has also benefited small business owners operating public bathhouses. In addition to receiving subsidies from the city for admission fees, participating bathhouses have gained a steady stream of regular customers.

From 2023 through last year, the Companion Bathhouse program recorded 90,835 visits. In a 2024 satisfaction survey of participating bathhouse operators, the program received an average rating of 4.6 out of 5, while half of participating businesses said it had helped increase their revenue.

Still, many jjokbang residents worry that this final refuge from extreme weather could disappear.

"A visit costs more than 10,000 won a day. If I had to pay for it myself, I simply couldn't afford it," Kim said. "Most of us rely on basic livelihood assistance. If we spent 200,000 to 300,000 won a month on bathhouse fees, we wouldn't know how we'd pay for food."

Seo said he has only one wish.

"I just hope they keep the program going," he said. "That's all I ask."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.