Parents' 1.4 Billion Won Apartment Sparks Marital Strife: Husband Demands Joint Ownership, Leads to Separate Rooms

A newlywed wife is locked in a heated dispute with her husband over the ownership of a luxury apartment, a gift from her parents. The conflict, which has escalated to the point of the couple sleeping in separate rooms, centers on the husband's demand for joint ownership of the 1.4 billion won (approximately $1 million USD) property.

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My parents gave me this 1.4 billion won apartment, but my husband is demanding joint ownership, and now we sleep in separate rooms.

The wife, identified as A씨, shared her predicament on an online community, explaining that her parents gifted her the apartment in Seoul, covering all taxes and transfer fees. They also provided 1.2 billion won, with the remaining 200 million won covered by a mortgage. Her husband, B씨, contributed only 30 million won for wedding expenses and appliances.

The trouble began when the couple agreed to jointly pay off the remaining mortgage. B씨 suddenly insisted on co-ownership, arguing that his salary was being used to repay the loan. He claimed that without joint ownership, he would receive nothing if they divorced, likening himself to a "tenant" paying rent to service her debt.

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If my salary is going towards paying off the loan together, what am I if it's only in your name? If we were to separate, I wouldn't get a penny because it's your separate property. I'm no different from a tenant paying rent to service your home loan.

When A씨 refused, pointing out that her parents' gift far outweighed his contribution to the mortgage, B씨 retaliated. He declared he would not contribute to the mortgage, insisting she repay it with her salary alone. He proposed splitting living expenses equally while managing their remaining salaries separately. This arrangement would leave A씨 with little personal spending money after covering her share of expenses and the mortgage, while B씨 could save his remaining income.

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My parents gave me 1.2 billion won, and the remaining loan is at most 100 million won. Is it reasonable to ask for half the ownership of a 1.4 billion won apartment?

A씨 feels her husband's demand is unreasonable, given the substantial gift from her parents. She is distressed by his "calculating" approach, which she feels treats her like a stranger, and questions whether she is being selfish for refusing to give up half of her parents' asset. Online commenters have offered mixed advice, with some suggesting a proportional ownership based on his mortgage contribution and others humorously suggesting she charge him rent.

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Then I can't contribute a single penny to the loan. Repay your apartment loan with your salary. We'll split living expenses strictly 50/50, and manage the rest of our money separately.