South Korea's Million Dollar Toilet Themed Home

TheRichest

22 Jul 202105:07

Summary

TLDRSim Jae-duck, a former mayor of Suan, South Korea, and founder of the World Toilet Association, was so passionate about sanitation that he spent $1.1 million transforming his home into a giant toilet-shaped structure. Known as 'Mr. Toilet,' he aimed to promote a new toilet culture in South Korea. After his death, the two-story 'Toilet House' became a museum, showcasing the importance of sanitation for a healthy lifestyle. It features a central bathroom, a roof balcony for rainwater harvesting, and unique toilet-themed exhibits. Visitors can tour the facility for free, but a night's stay is offered for a hefty $50,000, supporting the construction of toilets in developing countries.

Takeaways

🚽 The man behind the 'Toilet House' is Sim Jae-duck, a former mayor of Suwon, South Korea, who had a lifelong obsession with toilets.
👶 Sim Jae-duck was born in a toilet in his grandparents' house, which may have sparked his interest in toilets.
🌐 As mayor, he made it his mission to clean up public toilets and founded the World Toilet Association, focusing on public bathroom hygiene.
🏠 In 2007, Sim Jae-duck demolished his home and spent 1.1 million dollars to build a house shaped like a giant toilet.
🏡 The Toilet House is named 'Heiwuje', which translates to 'a house to satisfy anxiety', reflecting its purpose and design.
♻️ The house is environmentally friendly, with a roof that collects rainwater for use as drinking water or for flushing.
🎵 Inside, there's a central bathroom that plays classical music and has floor-to-ceiling windows that can change transparency.
💸 Spending a night in the Toilet House costs fifty thousand dollars, with proceeds going to build new toilet facilities in developing nations.
🕰 Despite its unique features, no one has reportedly paid for a night in the Toilet House as of the time of the script.
🎫 Visiting the Toilet House during visitor hours is free, and it's open Tuesdays through Sundays.
🗿 The house features unique exhibits, including a giant pile of golden poo, bronze statues, and toilet-themed gardens and artwork.
👟 The Toilet House isn't the only unusual shaped house; the Hanes Shoe House in Pennsylvania, modeled after a work boot, is another example.

Q & A

What was the unique passion of Sim Jae-duck?
-Sim Jae-duck had a unique passion for toilets, which he referred to as 'johns'.
How much did Sim Jae-duck spend on his toilet-shaped home project?
-Sim Jae-duck spent 1.1 million dollars on his toilet-shaped home project.
What was the nickname given to Sim Jae-duck due to his obsession with toilets?
-Sim Jae-duck was nicknamed 'Mr. Toilet' due to his obsession with toilets.
What was the name of the city where Sim Jae-duck served as mayor?
-Sim Jae-duck served as the mayor of a city called Suwon, South Korea.
What organization did Sim Jae-duck found related to toilets?
-Sim Jae-duck founded the World Toilet Association, a foundation focused on cleaning up public bathrooms.
What was the nickname given to Sim Jae-duck's toilet-shaped home?
-The nickname given to Sim Jae-duck's toilet-shaped home was 'Haewuje', which translates to 'a house to satisfy anxiety'.
What was Sim Jae-duck's final request for his toilet-shaped home after his passing?
-Sim Jae-duck's final request was for his toilet-shaped home to be donated to the city as a symbol of South Korea's new toilet culture.
What are the dimensions of the toilet-shaped home?
-The toilet-shaped home is 4520 square feet and 24 and a half feet tall.
What unique feature does the roof of the toilet-shaped home have?
-The roof of the toilet-shaped home has a feature that collects rainwater, which can be used as drinking water or for flushing.
How much does it cost to spend a night in the toilet-shaped home?
-It costs fifty thousand dollars to spend one night in the toilet-shaped home.
What is the purpose of the money raised from spending a night in the toilet-shaped home?
-The money raised from spending a night in the toilet-shaped home goes to an organization that builds new toilet facilities in developing nations.
What is the visiting policy for the toilet-shaped home?
-The toilet-shaped home is open Tuesdays through Sundays and is completely free for visitors.
What other unique house shaped like a common household object is mentioned in the script?
-The script mentions the Hanes Shoe House located in Hellam Township, Pennsylvania, which is shaped like a work boot.

Outlines

00:00

🚽 The Extraordinary Toilet House

This paragraph introduces the unique story of Sim Jae-duck, a man so passionate about toilets that he modeled his home after one. Known as 'Mr. Toilet,' Sim Jae-duck was a former mayor of Suan, South Korea, who dedicated his life to improving public sanitation and founded the World Toilet Association. His obsession led him to spend $1.1 million transforming his home into a giant toilet-shaped structure, designed by Goji Wong. The house, named 'Heiwuje,' was his final project before his passing in 2009, and he bequeathed it to the city as a symbol of South Korea's commitment to clean sanitation. It now stands as the largest toilet sculpture in Korea, housing two floors of exhibitions on the importance of latrines for a healthy lifestyle.

05:00

🏡 A Tour of the Toilet House and Its Features

This paragraph delves into the specifications and features of the Toilet House. The 4520 square foot, 24.5 feet tall abode resembles a giant toilet bowl from the outside. Inside, it boasts a central bathroom that serves as a centerpiece, visible through floor-to-ceiling windows that can switch between clear and opaque, accompanied by classical music. The house includes a grand staircase, four bathrooms with a whirlwind tub, urinals, and high-end showers. An environmentally friendly feature is the roof balcony, designed to collect rainwater for reuse. The house is available for a one-night stay at a cost of $50,000, with proceeds going to organizations building toilets in developing nations. Visitors can explore the house for free, Tuesdays through Sundays, and encounter unique exhibits such as a giant golden poo sculpture, bronze statues, toilet gardens, and children's artwork themed around toilets.

👟 A Glimpse at Other Unique Homes

The final paragraph briefly mentions another unconventional home, the Hanes Shoe House in Hellam Township, Pennsylvania. Built in 1948 and modeled after a work boot, this 25-foot tall, five-story shoe-shaped house is open for public tours, offering a glimpse into the world of uniquely shaped homes, beyond the Toilet House.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Toilets

Toilets are fixtures used for the disposal of human waste, essential for sanitation and hygiene. In the video, toilets are the central theme, as the man's passion for them leads him to model his home after a toilet, illustrating his dedication to the concept of waste management.

💡Sim Jae-duck

Sim Jae-duck is a central figure in the video, known as 'Mr. Toilet' due to his obsession with toilets and waste disposal. He was once the mayor of Suan, South Korea, and his initiatives in public sanitation led to the founding of the World Toilet Association.

💡World Toilet Association

The World Toilet Association is a foundation that focuses on improving public restrooms. It was founded by Sim Jae-duck, who was passionate about cleaning up public toilets, reflecting his commitment to promoting better sanitation practices globally.

💡Waste Management

Waste management refers to the collection, transportation, disposal, or recycling of waste materials. In the video, Sim Jae-duck's interest in waste management is exemplified by his life's work and his unique toilet-shaped home, emphasizing the importance of proper waste disposal for a healthy lifestyle.

💡Toilet House

The Toilet House is a unique architectural structure designed and built by Sim Jae-duck, shaped like a giant toilet. It serves as a symbol of South Korea's new toilet culture and houses exhibitions about the importance of latrines, showcasing Sim's dedication to the cause.

💡Goji Wong

Goji Wong is the designer of the Toilet House. His creative input turned Sim Jae-duck's vision into reality, resulting in a structure that is both a home and a testament to the man's passion for toilets.

💡Heiwuje

Heiwuje is the nickname given to the Toilet House, translating to 'a house to satisfy anxiety.' This reflects the intention behind the house's design, aiming to provide comfort and address concerns related to sanitation and waste disposal.

💡Sustainable Design

The Toilet House features sustainable design elements, such as a roof that collects rainwater for reuse, demonstrating Sim Jae-duck's commitment to environmental responsibility in addition to his focus on sanitation.

💡Exhibitions

The Toilet House contains two floors of exhibitions that educate visitors about the significance of latrines in maintaining a healthy and happy lifestyle. These exhibitions are part of the house's mission to promote better sanitation practices.

💡Toilet Culture

Toilet culture refers to the customs, practices, and attitudes surrounding the use and maintenance of toilets. The video discusses how Sim Jae-duck's efforts, including the Toilet House, symbolize a new approach to toilet culture in South Korea.

💡Charity

The video mentions a charity aspect related to the Toilet House, where spending a night in the house would cost fifty thousand dollars, with the proceeds going towards building new toilet facilities in developing nations. This reflects the broader goal of improving global sanitation.

Highlights

A man named Sim Jae-duck was so passionate about toilets that he dedicated his life to promoting them.

Sim Jae-duck modeled his home after a toilet, spending 1.1 million dollars on the project.

He was once the mayor of Swan, South Korea, and focused on cleaning up public toilets during his tenure.

Sim Jae-duck founded the World Toilet Association, a foundation dedicated to improving public restrooms.

He was nicknamed 'Mr. Toilet', a title he fully embraced due to his obsession with waste disposal.

In 2007, Sim Jae-duck demolished his home and built a new one in the shape of a giant toilet bowl.

The toilet-shaped house was designed by Goji Wong and named 'Heiwuje', meaning a house to satisfy anxiety.

After his death, Sim Jae-duck's final request was to donate his house to the city as a symbol of South Korea's new toilet culture.

The house is now the largest toilet sculpture in Korea and includes two floors of exhibitions about the importance of latrines.

The house is 4520 square feet and 24.5 feet tall, resembling a giant toilet bowl from the outside.

Inside, the house features a central bathroom with floor-to-ceiling windows that can change transparency and play classical music.

The house has a grand staircase, four bathrooms, a whirlwind tub, urinals, and top-of-the-line showers.

An environmentally friendly feature of the house is a roof balcony that collects rainwater for drinking or flushing.

Spending a night in the Toilet House costs fifty thousand dollars, with proceeds going to build new toilet facilities in developing nations.

Visiting the Toilet House during visitor hours is free, and it is open Tuesdays through Sundays.

The house features unique exhibits such as a giant pile of golden poo, bronze statues, toilet gardens, and children's artwork themed around toilets.

The Hanes Shoe House in Pennsylvania, built in 1948, is another example of a house shaped like a common household object.