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As single-person households surge, a hybrid model known as the “1.5-household”—where residents maintain private living spaces while sharing parts of daily life—has emerged as a new housing option.
On the 2nd, reporting by Gyeonggi Ilbo found that many young people are developing a housing culture that guarantees personal independence while intentionally sharing only selected routines, such as meals and leisure activities, to stay connected.
Young adults are increasingly seeking a “loose solidarity”—connections that lessen the obligations of close relationships but help relieve the isolation of living alone.
Single-person households rose from 15.5% in 2000 to 36.1% by 2024, the most recent survey shows. The share is highest in Gyeonggi and Seoul, where single-person households account for 42.7% of all households.
Although growing individualism is often cited as a cause, loneliness remains common. Statistics Korea’s 2025 social perception survey found that 48.9% of people living alone reported feeling lonely in daily life.
Residents say the chief appeal of 1.5-households is their practicality: they help ease emotional gaps while addressing everyday needs.
Some rent near their parents and commute back frequently; others preserve private rooms while sharing common areas for meals and hobbies.
A freelancer in her 20s surnamed Lee, who rents in Seoul, said, “I stay in my room on weekdays and spend weekends at my parents’ home in Suwon, where they take care of my laundry and meals. I chose this to save on living costs, but I’m more satisfied now because I get to spend more time with family.”
A person in their 30s surnamed Lim, who shares a two-room apartment with a friend in Seongnam, said, “We keep our private rooms and the shared living room strictly separate. I wanted company because living alone felt lonely, but I didn’t want to share every aspect of my life. This arrangement suits me, and I’m very satisfied.”
In an era of high prices, this approach reduces financial strain while naturally addressing the emotional shortfalls many single-person households experience.
Experts describe the 1.5-household as a flexible experiment by young people trying to overcome the challenges of living alone.
Seol Dong-hoon, a sociology professor at Jeonbuk National University, said, “Today’s young people feel burdened by the old model of intense social bonds, yet they also fear the isolation that comes from complete detachment. To counteract the loneliness of living alone, they’ve begun experimenting with different housing arrangements, and that experimentation has become a cultural trend.”
He added, “The people who form 1.5-households—friends, partners, family members—are diverse, and it’s notable that those raised in an individualistic culture are now seeking new forms of solidarity. This makes the phenomenon ripe for deeper study.”
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