Asia | Hell is other people

South Koreans are being driven mad by noisy neighbours

And there is not much they can do about it

|SEOUL

THE LOUD music that his neighbours keep playing is fairly easy to deal with, says Yoo Seung-joo, a 21-year-old who lives in a block of flats in Seoul. “I just call the security guard to tell them to keep it down and that usually works.” But there is a more delicate problem. “At least once a week I’m woken up at 5am by loud sex noises.” The recurring disruption to his sleep is extremely wearing, but he feels too embarrassed to raise it with the security guards, let alone his parents, with whom he shares the flat.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Hell is other people”

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