'Can't I cook in my own home?' Food odor complaint divides Korean apartment residents

A request for residents to be cautious about strong cooking odors in the evening has ignited an online debate in Korea regarding the extent of neighbor accommodation in shared housing. The dispute began following the sharing of a photo of a notice posted inside an apartment elevator on the social media platform Threads on Tuesday.

The writer of the notice politely asked for everyone's consideration, explaining that strong cooking odors from meals like cheonggukjang and grilled meat have been entering their home during the evening, causing significant discomfort. The problem seemed to be most severe around 8 p.m., when the smells could even make it difficult to open windows for ventilation.

The writer appealed to neighbors to show a little more attention to ventilation and odor control while cooking. However, one resident who saw the notice disagreed, posting on Threads that it seemed like living in a society where one had to constantly accommodate others' preferences.