Notes

Discover more about women-only host bars in Gangnam, Korea
South Korea's fast financial advancement has actually meant some surprising modifications within its traditional social framework, including the rise of so-called host bars, where well-off women pay the equivalent of thousands of bucks for male company.

In the dark light of an underground room, a dozen completely groomed boys stoop in rows, calling out their names.

Muscular, with shiny boy-band hairdos, they stuff side-by-side into the slim room, waiting for us to make our choice. Outside in the passage, even more of their coworkers are getting here for an additional evening at the workplace. It is 2am, and also we are their initial clients.

Surprise below the sidewalks of Seoul's ritziest postcode, Gangnam, the men at Bar 123 belong to an expanding industry, which outgrew the long traditions of Japanese geisha as well as Korea's kisaeng residences yet with one important difference - the clients right here are all females.

Called "host bars", these all-night drinking rooms provide women clients the possibility to pay and also select for male friends, in some cases at a cost of thousands of pounds a night.

One of the ladies I satisfy at Bar 123 is Minkyoung, a waitressing supervisor for a five-star hotel. As soon as or two times a month, she states she comes to host bars.


Minkyoung is extremely rather and her clothing are spotless. She does not look like someone that would need to pay for male firm. Yet the appeal of host bars can be refined. Here, she claims, she has even more focus from her male companions, even more choice as well as, most importantly, more control.
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" In regular bars the individuals who consume alcohol with me have just one goal - to have a casual sex. I don't desire that, so that's why I come right here, I want to have enjoyable," she claims.

Hosts are employed by bars such as this one to supply friendship and amusement. Officially that indicates pouring drinks for their customers, talking as well as dancing with them, as well as singing karaoke.

Host bar in Seoul
Sex is not officially available in a lot of host bars. That would be illegal but even Minkyoung appears pleased to tease and also touch with her host, as well as the males right here estimate that around half the clients wish to pay for sex, either on or off the premises.

James has actually been operating at Bar 123 for a number of years. In Korean culture, he says, there is a great deal of pride and also bargaining a rate for sex is never done clearly. 가락동룸싸롱 Rather, he informs me, it is all to the host's own analysis.

" The people below are pros - we know what we're doing," he says.

" After talking to a woman for a hr we basically understand just how much money she makes as well as what she provides for a living. We've currently analysed her individuality as well as what she's prepared to offer."

James and other hosts state their consumers consist of some of South Korea's elite, and that the cash and advantages on offer are amazing. One client James satisfied, throughout his initial week in the job, asked him to sign himself over to her for 2 years.

" She stated 'allow's make an agreement. I've got this paper and I've numbered it 1-5. Whatever you write down alongside those numbers, I'll obtain you.'".

James states at the time he took it as a joke but given that found out the exact same woman spent ₤ 60,000 ($ 97,000) on one more host.

" If it occurred currently, I 'd do it - I 'd be assuming straight.".

Actually probably, host bars outgrew among Korea's most entrenched and, some say, misogynist company customs - the area beauty parlor. These are exclusive drinking spaces where groups of guys pick, as well as are offered by, eye-catching women hostesses.

It was the hostesses' need to let off steam after work, states veteran host Kim Dong-hee, that developed the initial need for host bars, with all-male personnel.

" What these people hosting want is to [make us] do the very same point they needed to do in their own office. These women are compelled to do things they do not intend to do for money.

" I think a lot of them are in pain, and also a lot really feel lonesome. Put simply, they want to acquire our time and our bodies.".

Hostesses still compose a huge portion of the customers at host bars right here, but at Bar 123, for instance, as much as 40% of the customers on a given evening are currently from other profession.

The reasons for that expanding charm are locked up in South Korea's rapid financial increase. Within 50 years, the country changed from post-war destruction to OECD member.

However, according to Jasper Kim, head of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group in Seoul, something crucial was shed along the road.

" I assume that with all this fast growth comes quick modification, and also Koreans simply don't recognize exactly how to deal with it. Progressively, commercialism is overtaking basic social norms that you would anticipate a couple of years earlier.".

Jasper Kim says South Korea's notoriously lengthy functioning hrs have left lots of Korean women really feeling lonely, while the country's technological development has left numerous people really feeling removed.

" The human component of Korean culture that existed before merely doesn't exist today. People are concentrated on technology, individuals are concentrated on their jobs, they aren't concentrated on human connections any longer.

" In lots of methods, Korean society today kind of advises me of 1960s society in the US, where it's on the verge of some kind of cultural revolution.".

The grandpa of Seoul's host bar scene, Kim Dong-hee, agrees that most of the females that involve host bars are not spending for sex but for friendship, which is why he opened up a brand-new chain of freshly-marketed outlets aimed at the mainstream market - called Red Model Bars.

Red Model Bar hosts.
Photo caption,.
Hosts at Red Model Bars can not touch customers.
" Men wish to have aesthetic pleasure and also wish to really feel points, they're responsive. Women like to speak and to pay attention. Which's why I thought about opening up a bar like this - a sort of dialogue bar.".

Red Model Bars are various to conventional host bars in one vital respect - there is a no-touching regulation. Hosts sit on one side of the table, consumers on the various other, and also no physical get in touch with is allowed, as well as absolutely no sex.

Probably consequently there is an absence of furtiveness amongst the individuals who work or consume below - the lights are reduced, the decoration primarily dark red and the space is divided into very discreet cubicles, yet it is an open-plan room as well as hosts as well as consumers are separated in each booth by a large table.

This new service design depends entirely on females paying the equivalent of hundreds or also countless bucks to talk to good-looking boys over a drink. Still, it appears to be working - three brand-new branches are because of open this year.

Sitting at a table at one end of bench was among their normal customers, a florist called Kim Nayu. She informs me she comes here everyday to meet her favourite host and also talk about problems she is contending work.

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

" Talking to buddies would be less expensive" she admits, "however they don't listen as much. They're active, and quickly to speak about themselves. Here, individuals will certainly take note of me as well as they'll pay attention to me.".

" I invest a great deal of cash yet it's worth it for what I obtain mentally. People pay to head to see a psychologist or psychoanalyst, so it's comparable yet much less difficult.".

Nayu's favorite host Sung-il says it can be difficult to keep his expert as well as individual life separate.

" Honestly I would certainly be existing if I say I haven't been lured to take points further with some consumers, due to the fact that we're human, we're guys, yet there are regulations.".

One of his customers yapped to her other half concerning him as well as when the three of them satisfied, Sung-il and the partner ended up being close good friends.

" No one conceals - the employees do not conceal that they function below, and clients can be open as well.".

This openness is presenting a brand-new type of obstacle to South Korean society, different from the in some cases sleazy abyss of standard host bars and also their hinterland of male prostitution.

By providing females a "reputable" way to test standard sex roles as well as bend their economic power, these new bars ask questions of Korean society that are ending up being harder to disregard.

Hear the complete record on BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. You can pay attention using the Radio 4 web site or using the Crossing Continents podcast.



The attraction of host bars can be refined. Right here, she claims, she has even more focus from her male friends, even more choice and, crucially, even more control.
James has actually been working at Bar 123 for a pair of years. Instead, he tells me, it is all down to the host's very own analysis.

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

Here's my website: https://room-karaoke.site/