Resident A of the ultra-luxury O apartment in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, returned home from a recent vacation to find the bathroom covered in plastic and the air filled with paint and thinner fumes. The resident had left the home during the vacation and entrusted it for defect repairs, but even after the work ended, some areas could not be used properly. A said the resident paid more than 20 billion won in the sale price and is paying more than 5 million won a month in maintenance fees, but has been continuing repair work inside the home for about three months since moving in at the end of Apr.
Residents claimed that leaks and equipment and finishing problems followed immediately after move-in at the ultra-luxury O apartment in Cheongdam-dong built by Kolon Global. Residents said repairs have been delayed for months, making normal life difficult, and are demanding swift action and measures to address residential damage from Kolon Global.
According to O apartment residents on the 31st, defect and repair requests within the complex that they tallied themselves number about 1,000. A said the resident found about 300 defects and finishing flaws in the home alone during the pre-inspection at the end of Dec. last year and requested repairs. Residents created a group chat and are discussing a response plan once a week. They are also holding meetings with the developer and Kolon Global about every two weeks.
At A's home, leaks and air-conditioning equipment issues, marble cracks and color differences, and poor flooring, painting, and silicone finishing were found. Some tiles and bathroom metal frames were also damaged. A claimed to have found scratches, broken parts, and traces of patch repairs even on a 300 million won island table.
As repairs were delayed, A's move-in schedule was pushed back twice. A said the resident was initially told repairs would be completed by the end of Feb. After trusting the assurance that construction would be completed by the end of Mar., the resident paid the balance, but said the work did not finish by the promised time. Unable to stay any longer at the previous home, A moved into O apartment at the end of Apr. while repair work was underway.
Even after move-in, workers came in and out of the home frequently. A said the resident would get a call that the work had finished, check it, then find the finishing insufficient and request repairs again, repeating the cycle. For the cracked marble, the resident was told it would be replaced in mid-Aug., and the scratched flooring would be replaced in Oct.–Nov. due to material supply issues.
There were also accounts that leaks and equipment issues occurred in other units. Resident B said, "About two weeks ago, when it rained heavily, rainwater flowed into the master bedroom along the window frame." Resident C said, "Water leaked from the floor, and there was a problem with the air-conditioner piping," adding, "I heard that they finished the ceiling without connecting some piping and found the problem during a test run."
Residents claimed that in several units, work was carried out to tear down already finished ceilings to connect piping. Resident D also said, "The finish on the lower exterior of the terrace is poor, raising concerns that water could leak to the unit below, and the lower bathroom cabinet was not finished properly."
There were also claims that finishing problems were found in the "sky garage," the apartment's signature facility. The sky garage is a facility that loads a vehicle onto a dedicated lift and carries it up to an in-unit garage on a high floor. A said that during a recent electrical inspection, the resident confirmed that some ceiling finishing materials were fixed with tape and part of the floor was damaged.
Residents claimed they were told that work is being delayed as the builder and the interior subcontractor differ over who should cover additional repair costs. A said the resident asked for a temporary place to stay during the construction period but was refused, and there has been no discussion of separate compensation or damages.
A said, "Residents have paid all amounts due under the contract but are suffering damage because of a cost issue between companies," adding, "We tried to resolve it as amicably as possible because lawsuits take a lot of time and money, but if repairs keep being delayed, we will have no choice but to consider other actions."
O apartment is a small-scale, ultra-luxury multifamily housing complex built along the Han River in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul. At the time of sale, the price for standard units was 12 billion to 25 billion won, and the top-floor super penthouse was known to be 35 billion won.
A Kolon Global official said, "We put the inconvenience of our move-in customers first," adding, "Complaints about defects raised are being reviewed closely by the relevant department, and we are visiting individual units to carry out repairs." The official added, "We will also take good-faith action on customer complaints in accordance with the relevant procedures."