Has anyone had an experience with their goshiwon landlord refusing to refund the deposit after damaging the wallpaper?

100,000 won is actually on the lower end for deposit disputes I've seen around here. The bigger issue is whether the landlord even has a legal right to hold it. Under Korean rental law, landlords can deduct for damage beyond normal wear and tear, but goshiwon contracts are often informal and don't specify what counts. If your contract doesn't mention a security deposit or damage clause, you can argue the deposit was just a holding fee and not a damage fund. Try sending a clear message in Korean saying you'll contact the local gu office or the Seoul Metropolitan Government's rental dispute center if they don't return it. Those offices take landlord complaints seriously, especially for foreign students, and the hassle alone often makes them fold on small amounts like 100,000 won.

arrow_drop_up 22 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

Honestly, 100,000 won for wallpaper damage in a goshiwon is pretty standard for landlords trying to squeeze a bit more out of you. I've seen it happen a lot around places like Sinchon or near Korea University, where the turnover is high and the walls are paper thin literally and figuratively. Your best bet is to push back firmly but politely in Korean if you can, saying the deposit should cover normal wear and tear and that the wallpaper was already low quality when you moved in. If your contract doesn't specifically list a damage deposit clause, you have some leverage, and you could try offering 30,000 or 40,000 won as a fair compromise for the rips.

arrow_drop_up 4 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

yeah 100k is steep for some ripped wallpaper tbh. check if ur contract actually mentions deposits for damages, a lot of goshiwon ones don't even bother with that stuff

arrow_drop_up -1 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

the whispering thing is real but its not about the sauce lol. that guy runs a 2am handoff with the chicken supplier, they drop off fresh birds from a farm near Chuncheon three times a week instead of using the frozen stuff most hongdae spots rely on. thats why the texture hits different, not the sauce itself. if u go back ask for the neck & wing combo off menu, its cheaper & honestly the best cut they do

arrow_drop_up 24 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

the thing nobody mentions is that Dogdogdog's sauce gets its body from cheong, the Korean rice syrup, not sugar. thats why it coats the wing so thick and stays glossy instead of going sticky. i asked a guy who worked there and he said they also add a splash of maesil (plum) extract at the end off the heat. that fruity tang under the garlic is what you're tasting. go on a weekday before 6, weekends the wait hits 40 min easy.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly the "secret sauce" thing is prob just marketing. every fried chicken place in Seoul has a version of that story. the real difference at Dogdogdog is they double fry in rice bran oil and toss the wings in the sauce twice, once right out of the fryer and again after a 30 sec rest. thats where the crunch comes from, not some mystery ingredient. if u wanna taste the actual base, order the banban half plain half spicy and dip the plain one in the spicy sauce yourself.

arrow_drop_up 5 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply