A YouTuber explored the darker side of Hong Kong where residents live in micro apartments.
Hong Kong is known for its towering skyline and bustling streets, but tucked away in the city are apartments so claustrophobic that they’re often called 'coffin homes.'
YouTuber Drew Binsky recently revealed the harsh realities of the people living in such cramped spaces.
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Drew described that 25% of Hong Kong's population lives below the poverty line with 'hundreds of thousands of residents' crammed into these unbelievably small apartments 'squeezed into overcrowded buildings.'
"Many locals aren't able to afford basic accommodation," the YouTuber described.
He goes on to describe how Hong Kong’s housing crisis is traced back to post-World War II when a massive wave of mainlanders overwhelmed the city.
"The government struggled to provide adequate housing leading to the development of slums and squatter settlements," Drew explained in the video.
"There's nowhere else in the world I've seen living conditions like this," he described as he observed the tightly packed neighbourhoods towering over him.
Inside one of the homes, Drew pointed out he was 'immediately hit with cigarette smell.'
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The toilet and taps were in disrepair 'not functioning well'.
Narrow hallways barely allow one person to pass through with 'people smoking cigarettes watching their TVs.'
People are piled next to and on top of one another in a place they are forced to call home.
Drew commented below his video adding that the 'most shocking part' of filming the whole story is that each resident is 'spending $200-400 USD per month for rent.'
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One of the residents described one toilet being shared between 11 people in the complex.
When asked what his message to the rest of the world was, the resident answered that he hopes the Hong Kong government prioritises public housing sooner rather than later as people are struggling to live in these spaces.
Another resident in a different building described only leaving his place for work and has been doing so for 10 years.
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Drew had a look inside his micro-apartment which was about 15 to 25 sq ft, noticing that the man had no mattress and 'slept on the floor.'
Despite the extremely limited space, residents ingeniously find ways to make the living space functional.
However, the lack of proper ventilation, privacy and basic facilities takes a toll on residents’ physical and mental health.
The video, which reached over 300k views is both fascinating and heartbreaking showing the harsh realities of the poorer side of Hong Kong.