55-square-foot micro flat sparks debate in China
By Iris Jung
May 31, 2023
A 55-square-foot micro flat with 1,600 yuan (approximately $225) monthly rent in Shanghai has gone viral on Chinese social media.
A video showing the “extreme” space was uploaded by Star Video (@星视频) on May 21. In the 50-second clip, a narrator describes the space while filming the small room.
“After entering through the entrance door, there is a small staircase on the left,” the description explains. “After coming up [the stairs], there is a sleeping cot. There are two wardrobes at the head of the bed. There is a hanging air conditioner next to the wardrobe.”
In the bottom section of the loft, a small desk is located in a corner. “Next to the desk is a bathroom, and clothes can be dried outside the window,” the video description continues. “There is a washing machine next to the bathroom, and there is another space for cooking.”
Despite the extremely small size of the flat, the tenant applauded the landlord, calling him a “genius in the design industry.”
“Although the size of the flat is like a small sparrow, it’s complete,” the tenant narrated.
The video went viral on Weibo, garnering over 670,000 views and 3,943 likes.
Some saw the value in renting the small space for a low cost.
“It’s quite cost-effective,” one user wrote.
“In fact, it’s okay,” another user commented. “[There’s] still a private bathroom, but there’s no place to put clothes.”
However, others critiqued the tenant’s lifestyle, comparing the micro flat to a coffin.
“What’s the difference between living so aggrieved and sleeping in a coffin after death?” one user wrote.
“Isn’t it the coffin room in Hong Kong? What’s the praise?” another user questioned.
“Is China short of land or housing? What do you lack to promote this kind of life????” read another comment.
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