For nine years, South Korean poet Shin Hyun-rim and her daughter resided in a netherworld seven steps below the street. “You can’t tell whether it’s night or daytime,” said Shin, 58, who moved to a fourth-floor walk-up about two years ago. As in the climax of the movie, when the Kims wade through rising waters in their home during a downpour, many banjiha homes are vulnerable to flooding and have been submerged during monsoons. They pledged to gradually eliminate banjiha homes and provide other forms of affordable housing instead. (Shin Hyun-rim)The three-bedroom space got such minimal sunlight that she had to keep the lights on during the day.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 12, 2020 10:52 UTC