55-square-foot micro flat sparks debate in China
[Source]
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.”
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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“Is China short of land or housing? What do you lack to promote this kind of life????” read another comment.
