Learn even more about women-only host bars in Gangnam, Korea
South Korea's quick financial growth has suggested some shocking adjustments within its conventional social structure, including the surge of supposed host bars, where affluent women pay the equivalent of thousands of bucks for male business.
In the dim light of a basement, a lots perfectly groomed young guys kneel in rows, calling out their names.
Muscular, with glossy boy-band hairdos, they pack alongside into the slim space, awaiting us to make our selection. Outside in the hallway, even more of their coworkers are showing up for one more night at job. It is 2am, and also we are their first clients.
Covert under the pavements of Seoul's ritziest postal code, Gangnam, the men at Bar 123 are component of a growing industry, which outgrew the lengthy customs of Japanese geisha and also Korea's kisaeng homes but with one vital distinction - the clients below are all ladies.
Referred to as "host bars", these all-night alcohol consumption areas supply women consumers the chance to pay and also pick for male companions, sometimes at an expense of thousands of extra pounds an evening.
One of the ladies I satisfy at Bar 123 is Minkyoung, a waitressing supervisor for a first-class resort. She claims she involves host bars once or two times a month.
The attraction of host bars can be refined. Here, she states, she has even more interest from her male buddies, even more choice as well as, most importantly, even more control.
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" In normal bars the guys that drink with me have just one goal - to have a casual sex. However I do not desire that, to ensure that's why I come here, I wish to enjoy," she states.
Hosts are hired by bars such as this one to offer companionship and entertainment. Formally that means pouring drinks for their consumers, talking and dancing with them, and vocal singing karaoke.
Host bar in Seoul
Sex is not officially on offer in a lot of host bars. That would certainly be unlawful yet also Minkyoung seems delighted to tease as well as touch with her host, and the men here estimate that around half the consumers wish to spend for sex, either on or off the premises.
James has been working at Bar 123 for a pair of years. In Korean culture, he claims, there is a whole lot of pride as well as bargaining a price for sex is never done explicitly. Rather, he tells me, it is all to the host's own assessment.
" The men right here are pros - we recognize what we're doing," he states.
" After speaking with a lady for a hr we basically know just how much money she makes as well as what she provides for a living. We've currently evaluated her personality as well as what she wants to give."
James and also various other hosts state their customers consist of a few of South Korea's elite, which the cash as well as perks available boggle the mind. One client James fulfilled, throughout his very first week in the task, asked him to authorize himself over to her for two years.
" She stated 'let's make a contract. I've obtained this notepad and I've numbered it 1-5. Whatever you make a note of beside those numbers, I'll get you.'".
James states at the time he took it as a joke but considering that learnt the same female invested ₤ 60,000 ($ 97,000) on another host.
" If it occurred currently, I 'd do it - I would certainly be believing straight.".
Ironically maybe, host bars grew out of one of Korea's most established and, some state, misogynist organization traditions - the room salon. These are private drinking spaces where groups of males select, and are offered by, appealing female people hosting.
It was the people hosting' requirement to allow off heavy steam after work, claims professional host Kim Dong-hee, that produced the initial demand for host bars, with all-male personnel.
These ladies are compelled to do points they don't want to do for money.
" I assume a whole lot of them are in pain, and also a great deal feel lonesome. Basically, they intend to get our time and our bodies.".
People hosting still comprise a huge portion of the consumers at host bars below, yet at Bar 123, for instance, up to 40% of the consumers on a provided evening are currently from other strolls of life.
The factors for that expanding appeal are locked up in South Korea's fast financial increase. Within 50 years, the country changed from post-war devastation to OECD participant.
However, according to Jasper Kim, head of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group in Seoul, something vital was shed along the road.
" I believe that with all this quick development comes fast modification, and also Koreans just do not know how to manage it. Significantly, capitalism is surpassing standard societal standards that you would anticipate a pair of decades earlier.".
Jasper Kim states South Korea's infamously lengthy working hours have left lots of Korean women feeling lonely, while the country's technical advance has actually left lots of people feeling separated.
" The human component of Korean culture that existed before merely does not exist today. Individuals are concentrated on innovation, individuals are concentrated on their tasks, they aren't concentrated on human relations any longer.
" In several methods, Korean society today kind of reminds me of 1960s society in the United States, where it's on the verge of some kind of social revolution.".
The grandfather of Seoul's host bar scene, Kim Dong-hee, concurs that most of the females who come to host bars are not spending for sex but also for companionship, which is why he opened up a new chain of freshly-marketed outlets focused on the mainstream market - called Red Model Bars.
Red Model Bar hosts.
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Hosts at Red Model Bars can not touch clients.
" Men wish to have visual satisfaction as well as want to really feel points, they're tactile. Women like to talk and also to listen. Which's why I thought about opening a bar such as this - a sort of discussion bar.".
Red Model Bars are different to traditional host bars in one essential regard - there is a no-touching guideline. Hosts rest on one side of the table, customers on the various other, and also no physical call is permitted, and definitely no sex.
Possibly as an outcome there is an absence of furtiveness amongst individuals who work or consume below - the lights are low, the decor primarily dark red and also the area is split into discreet booths, but it is an open-plan room and also consumers and hosts are divided in each booth by a big table.
This brand-new organization version depends completely on females paying the equivalent of hundreds or perhaps hundreds of bucks to speak to attractive boys over a drink. Still, it seems to be functioning - three brand-new branches result from open this year.
Sitting at a table at one end of bench was one of their regular customers, a flower designer called Kim Nayu. She informs me she comes below on a daily basis to fulfill her favourite host and also talk about concerns she is having at work.
The price for this piece of male attention is $487-650 (₤ 300-400) a day.
" Talking to good friends would certainly be less costly" she admits, "yet they don't listen as much. They're busy, and quickly to speak about themselves. Here, people will take notice of me and they'll pay attention to me.".
" I spend a whole lot of cash but it's worth it of what I obtain psychologically. People pay to head to see a psycho therapist or psychiatrist, so it's similar however less difficult.".
Nayu's much-loved host Sung-il states it can be difficult to maintain his specialist and personal life separate.
" Honestly I 'd be lying if I state I have not been lured to take points even more with some clients, since we're human, we're males, however there are guidelines.".
One of his clients talked a great deal to her husband regarding him as well as when the 3 of them satisfied, Sung-il as well as the hubby ended up being friends.
" No one conceals - the workers do not conceal that they work here, and customers can be open as well.".
This openness is posturing a new type of challenge to South Korean culture, various from the sometimes sleazy abyss of standard host bars and also their hinterland of male hooking.
By supplying females a "commendable" method to test standard gender roles as well as bend their financial power, these new bars ask concerns of Korean culture that are becoming tougher to neglect.
Listen to the full report on BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. You can listen through the Radio 4 web site or through the Crossing Continents podcast.
분당룸 The appeal of host bars can be subtle. Here, she states, she has more interest from her male companions, more option as well as, crucially, even more control.
James has actually been working at Bar 123 for a pair of years. Instead, he informs me, it is all down to the host's own evaluation.
As well as that's why I assumed of opening up a bar like this - a kind of discussion bar.".