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Discover more about women-only host bars in Gangnam, Korea
South Korea's rapid economic advancement has indicated some stunning adjustments within its conventional social framework, including the increase of supposed host bars, where rich ladies pay the matching of countless bucks for male firm.

In the dim light of a below ground space, a lots perfectly groomed boys stoop in rows, calling out their names.

Muscle, with shiny boy-band hairstyles, they stuff side by side into the narrow room, waiting for us to make our choice. Outside in the passage, more of their colleagues are arriving for an additional evening at the office. It is 2am, and we are their very first customers.

Surprise beneath the pavements of Seoul's ritziest postcode, Gangnam, the males at Bar 123 become part of an expanding market, which outgrew the long customs of Japanese geisha as well as Korea's kisaeng houses but with one essential difference - the consumers right here are all females.

Recognized as "host bars", these all-night drinking rooms supply female clients the opportunity to pick and pay for male companions, often at an expense of countless extra pounds a night.

Among the females I satisfy at Bar 123 is Minkyoung, a waitressing supervisor for a first-class hotel. She says she involves host bars one or two times a month.


Minkyoung is very pretty and her garments are spotless. She does not look like a person that would require to pay for male firm. Yet the allure of host bars can be refined. Here, she claims, she has more focus from her male companions, more option as well as, crucially, more control.
PROMOTION



" In routine bars the people who consume alcohol with me have just one goal - to have an one-night stand. However I don't desire that, to make sure that's why I come here, I desire to enjoy," she says.

Hosts are employed by bars like this one to provide companionship and enjoyment. Formally that means putting drinks for their consumers, talking and dancing with them, as well as singing karaoke.

Host bar in Seoul
Sex is not formally available in many host bars. That would be unlawful but even Minkyoung appears pleased to touch and also flirt with her host, as well as the males below approximate that around half the clients wish to pay for sex, either on or off the facilities.

James has actually been working at Bar 123 for a number of years. In Korean society, he claims, there is a great deal of pride and also discussing a price for sex is never ever done clearly. Instead, he tells me, it is all down to the host's very own evaluation.

" The individuals here are pros - we know what we're doing," he states.

" After speaking with a girl for an hour we basically recognize how much cash she makes as well as what she does for a living. We've already analysed her character and what she wants to offer."

James and various other hosts claim their consumers include some of South Korea's elite, and also that the cash and advantages available are extraordinary. One client James satisfied, during his initial week in the task, asked him to authorize himself over to her for two years.

" She claimed 'allow's make an agreement. I've obtained this item of paper and I've numbered it 1-5. Whatever you write down alongside those numbers, I'll get you.'".

James claims at the time he took it as a joke yet because figured out the very same lady spent ₤ 60,000 ($ 97,000) on an additional host.

" If it happened now, I 'd do it - I 'd be believing straight.".

Ironically perhaps, host bars expanded out of one of Korea's most established and also, some state, misogynist service customs - the room hair salon. These are private alcohol consumption rooms where groups of men choose, and are offered by, attractive women people hosting.

It was the people hosting' requirement to allow off steam after job, claims expert host Kim Dong-hee, that created the initial demand for host bars, with all-male staff.

" What these people hosting want is to [make us] do the same point they had to do in their very own workplace. These ladies are forced to do points they don't intend to provide for money.

" I assume a great deal of them are in discomfort, and a great deal really feel lonely. Just placed, they wish to acquire our time as well as our bodies.".

Hostesses still compose a big portion of the clients at host bars right here, but at Bar 123, as an example, approximately 40% of the consumers on an offered night are now from other profession.

The factors for that growing appeal are tied up in South Korea's fast financial surge. Within 50 years, the country changed from post-war destruction to OECD participant.

According to Jasper Kim, head of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group in Seoul, something important was lost along the means.

" I believe that with all this rapid growth comes fast adjustment, and also Koreans simply don't know how to deal with it. Increasingly, commercialism is surpassing standard societal standards that you would certainly anticipate a couple of decades back.".

Jasper Kim claims South Korea's infamously lengthy functioning hours have actually left numerous Korean females really feeling lonely, while the nation's technological development has actually left many individuals feeling separated.

" The human aspect of Korean society that existed before merely does not exist today. People are concentrated on modern technology, people are concentrated on their jobs, they aren't concentrated on human relations anymore.

" In many means, Korean culture today kind of advises me of 1960s culture in the United States, where it's on the brink of some sort of social change.".

The grandfather of Seoul's host bar scene, Kim Dong-hee, concurs that much of the females that concern host bars are not paying for sex however, for companionship, which is why he opened a new chain of freshly-marketed outlets focused on the mainstream market - called Red Model Bars.

Red Model Bar hosts.
Image inscription,.
Hosts at Red Model Bars can not touch customers.
" Men intend to have aesthetic satisfaction as well as desire to feel points, they're responsive. Women like to speak as well as to listen. Which's why I considered opening a bar like this - a sort of discussion bar.".


Red Model Bars are different to traditional host bars in one key respect - there is a no-touching rule. Hosts rest on one side of the table, clients on the other, and no physical contact is enabled, and also definitely no sex.

Probably consequently there is an absence of furtiveness amongst individuals who work or consume alcohol right here - the lights are low, the style generally dark red as well as the area is separated into discreet cubicles, however it is an open-plan room as well as hosts and also clients are split in each cubicle by a large table.

This brand-new service version depends totally on women paying the equivalent of hundreds or even thousands of dollars to speak to good-looking young men over a drink. Still, it seems to be functioning - 3 new branches are because of open this year.

해운대룸싸롱 Sitting at a table at one end of the bar was among their regular consumers, a flower designer called Kim Nayu. She informs me she comes right here on a daily basis to satisfy her favourite host and also go over concerns she is contending job.

The rate for this piece of male attention is $487-650 (₤ 300-400) a day.

" Talking to buddies would be less expensive" she confesses, "however they do not pay attention as much. They're active, and also in a hurry to speak about themselves. Below, individuals will take note of me and also they'll listen to me.".

" I invest a lot of cash but it deserves it for what I obtain psychologically. Individuals pay to head to see a psychologist or psychiatrist, so it's similar however much less stressful.".

Nayu's favorite host Sung-il claims it can be hard to keep his individual and also professional life separate.

" Honestly I would certainly be existing if I state I have not been attracted to take points even more with some customers, since we're human, we're men, however there are regulations.".

One of his consumers spoke a lot to her hubby concerning him and also when the three of them satisfied, Sung-il as well as the spouse came to be friends.

" No one hides - the workers do not conceal that they work right here, and also consumers can be open too.".

This visibility is posing a brand-new type of obstacle to South Korean society, various from the in some cases seedy abyss of traditional host bars as well as their hinterland of male hooking.

By offering females a "commendable" way to challenge standard gender duties and also flex their economic power, these brand-new bars ask concerns of Korean society that are ending up being more difficult to overlook.

Listen to the complete record on BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. You can listen using the Radio 4 website or via the Crossing Continents podcast.


The allure of host bars can be refined. Right here, she states, she has more interest from her male companions, more option and also, crucially, more control.
James has been working at Bar 123 for a couple of years. Rather, he tells me, it is all down to the host's very own evaluation.

And that's why I assumed of opening up a bar like this - a kind of discussion bar.".

Homepage: https://busanroom.club/