Taiwan Man Caught Living Secretly in Apartment Basement for 3 Years

A case reminiscent of the film "Parasite" has shocked Taiwan after a man was discovered to have been secretly living in an apartment parking garage basement for three years.

According to Taiwan's TVBS and other local media on Tuesday, Kaohsiung police arrested a 71-year-old man surnamed Guo on trespassing charges after finding him living illegally in the underground space of a mechanical parking garage.

Guo reportedly moved into the basement of the apartment building where he had previously resided after his home was sold at a court auction approximately three years ago. As a former building manager, he was familiar with the entry points and blind spots, which allowed him relatively easy access, according to reports.

Guo had furnished the underground space with a bed, desk, fan and other household items, connecting to electrical outlets to power his makeshift home. The location had seen virtually no resident access for an extended period, allowing his presence to go undetected.

The situation changed recently when the apartment owner put the property up for sale. A real estate agent visiting for an on-site inspection discovered Guo in the basement, exposing his secret living arrangement.

When the agent asked why he was there, Guo reportedly justified his presence by claiming that "parking spaces are shared facilities for everyone's use." The real estate agent contacted police, who arrived and arrested Guo at the scene.

The case has been referred to prosecutors, and building management has removed all of Guo's personal belongings from the basement.

A similar incident occurred in China. In February, a man surnamed Li living in Jiangsu Province in eastern China belatedly discovered that the previous owner had been secretly living in the basement of a home Li had purchased seven years earlier.

According to Chinese outlet NetEase News, Li bought the pre-owned home in an urban area for approximately 2 million yuan (about 280 million won or $196,000) in 2018. The family had been satisfied with the conveniently located, well-maintained property until they discovered a hidden door behind the stairs while organizing the house.

Behind the door was a spacious basement equipped with ventilation, lighting and even a small bar, with clear signs that someone had been living there. Li described the discovery as "chilling."

When Li confronted the previous owner, a man surnamed Zhang, Zhang argued that "I sold the house but never said the basement was included," claiming the underground space was his personal retreat. How Zhang had been accessing the basement remains unclear, though speculation points to a spare key or an entrance connected to the parking garage.

Li pursued legal action, arguing that having paid for the entire property, the basement was rightfully his. The court ruled in Li's favor, recognizing his ownership of the basement and ordering Zhang to pay financial compensation.