"I Took the Window Off Because It Was Too Hot"... Temperatures Exceed 30°C Even With a Fan

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After worrying about the monsoon season just a few days ago, it was a holiday where it was not easy to adapt to the sudden heat wave. A heat wave is difficult for everyone, but for those who have nowhere to escape the heat, it is a matter of survival.

Reporter Jeong Jiyeon reports on those who are enduring the heat.

[Reporter]

A jjogbangchon (small, single-room dwelling area) in Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

Cooling fog systems designed to prevent heat-related illnesses are continuously spraying mist, and residents have gathered in the park to escape the heat.

Some have taken off their shirts to cool down, while others sit on benches in light clothing, fanning themselves.

[Jeon In-hwa / Yongsan-gu, Seoul: Getting through the summer is the hardest part. Sweat just pours down. Even if I just sit there, it pours down. It is better to be out in the park, I suppose. There is at least a bit of a breeze.]

With air conditioning out of the question due to costs, the temperature inside these small rooms exceeds 30°C (86°F) even with a fan running during the day.

The room I am standing in right now is also filled with sweltering air.

As a result, residents have to remove their windows like this just to get a little bit of air circulation.

[Resident of Jjogbangchon in Yongsan-gu, Seoul: It was so hot that I just took the window off. Even when I use a fan, it just blows hot air. There are so many mosquitoes. But it is better than the heat...]

At traditional markets, where the number of customers has dwindled due to the hot weather, merchants struggle against the heat all day long.

In particular, at fish shops where freshness is critical, merchants are busy managing quality by constantly sprinkling ice.

[Kim Gwang-su / Merchant at Mangwon Market: I feel like I am just sprinkling ice all day long. You can see the fish go bad right away. The number of customers has dropped significantly, and we are just trying to hang on.]

The number of people visiting the nearly 4,000 heat shelters across Seoul to escape the heat wave, even for a short while, is also increasing.

[Shim Gu-seop / Senior Center President: People over 70 or 80 cannot walk around outside in this heat. It is good to be able to come here and rest.]

From jjogbangchon where it is actually cooler outside than in, to workplaces where people must work outdoors, citizens are enduring the returning heat wave in their own ways.

(Video coverage: Kim Seung-tae, Video editing: Choi Hye-ran)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.