A severe heat wave has changed the currency of cool in Seoul¡¯s affluent district of Gangnam: Access to air conditioning now defines the line between the haves and the have-nots.

The ritzy neighborhood was made globally famous by K-pop star Psy¡¯s 2012 hit single ¡°Gangnam Style¡± ¡ª lauding the lifestyles of its ultra-rich residents.

But under million-dollar luxury apartments chilled by whirling air conditioners, tenants in one of Seoul¡¯s last shantytowns suffer headaches in the savage heat.