A controversy known as 'toilet war' has arisen in 'Olympic Park Foreon,' the largest apartment complex in Korea. Since moving in last November, residents have been facing unexpected hygiene and infection issues with high-end toilets supplied in the apartments, leading to ongoing complaints. The community support center of this apartment complex is currently conducting a survey on toilets for all residents.
According to reports and coverage by ChosunBiz on the 26th, the Olympic Park Foreon community support center is conducting a survey on 'toilet usage' from the 19th to the 30th.
The survey notice states, 'Many complaints regarding the inconvenience of the household toilet (Product A) have been received by the association, and we hope for your active participation in the usage survey.' It is understood that about 4,200 households participated as of the day before. The total number of households in this apartment complex is 12,032.
A common inconvenience experienced by the residents of this apartment is the 'urine splash' phenomenon. This primarily affects women, leading to hygiene and infection issues due to urine splattering on body parts. It has been confirmed that some residents are receiving treatment for conditions like cystitis and skin rashes.
A representative from the association noted, 'There have been cases of inflammation caused by the urine splash phenomenon among residents, and many complaints have been received.' They added, 'Once the survey is completed, we will send an official document and proceed with the matter.'
This issue became known last December when a resident posted about it on an online community for the apartment. Specifically, it was noted that the toilet bowl is smaller than the toilet seat, leading to the urine splash phenomenon. Many residents sympathized with the issue, and currently, nearly 700 residents have joined a Kakao open chat room to gather evidence such as complaints and medical certificates.
One resident said, 'This has been happening since right after we moved in, with urine splashing on the body leading to personal hygiene issues, and some residents are experiencing discomfort due to inflammation.' They added, 'In an apartment that claims to be family-friendly for childbirth and childcare, pregnant women are being exposed to a greater risk of conditions like cystitis and pyelonephritis.' Olympic Park Foreon became a topic of discussion when 77 newborns were born just four months after its opening.
The toilet in question is the P model from Company A, which is an integrated bidet product. Some residents visited the company's showroom to directly measure the size of the toilet fixture and conducted their own investigations and experiments. Residents emphasized that the toilet fixtures, where issues arise, are smaller than the same products in the showroom.
As complaints from residents continued, the company supplying the toilets, 'Company S,' sent an official document to the association. In the document, the company stated, 'The product currently under complaint is a normal product with no history of changes to the structure or shape of the toilet and seat.' They added, 'Due to the nature of ceramic products, size variations may occur due to shrinkage rates, but the product complies with KS standards and does not affect product performance.'
The company stated that it would propose to change and develop the seat at no cost to resolve the complaints. They also mentioned, 'We hope you will confirm that we will no longer raise objections regarding this matter and refrain from group actions online and offline.'
ChosunBiz reached out to hear Company S's position but did not receive a response. The company only handles all complaints through its customer service.