Things I Watched: Microhabitat - A Touching Take on Balancing Rent and Cigarettes

In 2014, South Korea adopted a number of big changes to taxation laws. It meant price hikes of many everyday goods. Contrary to media narrative, such things affect both old and young - especially in cities like Seoul where already high costs of substantially impact disposable income.

Personally I wasn’t aware of this until I watched Jeon Go-woon’s Microhabitat. As an outsider, Korea has always struck me as a prosperous and easy country to live in. The film though illustrates a darker side to the country. It describes a situation in which people have to choose between what they regard as basic pleasures and necessary luxuries. This is especially prescient for the main character, who deems rent to such be an in-affordable part of her life that she chooses to ditch the pleasure of permanent accommodation to go apartment-hopping around several of her old college band-mates.

Along the way, she discovers the decisions they've each made to achieve what they deem to be a good life. It makes for a curious take on how disappointing life can be when we're forced to choose between what we want and what we're supposed to have. It's a very touching film and I suggest keeping an eye out for Jeon Go-woon because I have feeling she might well be Korea's next big directorial talent.

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