Find out more about women-only host bars in Gangnam, Korea
South Korea's rapid economic advancement has suggested some startling adjustments within its conservative social framework, consisting of the surge of so-called host bars, where rich women pay the equivalent of thousands of dollars for male business.
In the dim light of a basement, a lots flawlessly groomed boys kneel in rows, calling out their names.
Muscle, with shiny boy-band hairstyles, they cram side-by-side into the narrow space, waiting on us to make our choice. Outside in the passage, more of their coworkers are arriving for another evening at the office. It is 2am, as well as we are their first customers.
Hidden below the sidewalks of Seoul's ritziest postal code, Gangnam, the males at Bar 123 are component of a growing sector, which outgrew the lengthy practices of Japanese geisha and also Korea's kisaeng residences but with one critical distinction - the clients below are all ladies.
Referred to as "host bars", these all-night alcohol consumption spaces use women clients the opportunity to pick and also pay for male friends, sometimes at a price of hundreds of extra pounds an evening.
Among the women I satisfy at Bar 123 is Minkyoung, a waitressing supervisor for a luxury resort. When or twice a month, she claims she comes to host bars.
The allure of host bars can be refined. Below, she says, she has even more attention from her male friends, more choice and, most importantly, more control.
PROMOTION
" In routine bars the people that consume alcohol with me have just one objective - to have an one-night stand. However I don't want that, to make sure that's why I come right here, I wish to have a good time," she claims.
Hosts are employed by bars such as this one to provide friendship and amusement. Formally that suggests pouring drinks for their consumers, speaking and dancing with them, and also vocal singing karaoke.
Host bar in Seoul
Sex is not officially available in most host bars. That would be prohibited but even Minkyoung appears pleased to flirt and touch with her host, and the guys below estimate that around half the customers intend to pay for sex, either on or off the properties.
James has actually been operating at Bar 123 for a number of years. In Korean society, he claims, there is a great deal of satisfaction as well as working out a price for sex is never ever done clearly. Instead, he tells me, it is all down to the host's own analysis.
" The guys here are pros - we understand what we're doing," he says.
" After speaking to a girl for an hour we primarily understand just how much money she makes as well as what she provides for a living. We've already analysed her personality as well as what she's prepared to give."
James as well as various other hosts state their customers include some of South Korea's elite, as well as that the money as well as rewards on offer boggle the mind. One customer James fulfilled, throughout his first week in the job, asked him to authorize himself over to her for two years.
" She said 'allow's make a contract. I've got this item of paper and also I've numbered it 1-5. Whatever you compose down next to those numbers, I'll obtain you.'".
James claims at the time he took it as a joke but since figured out the same female spent ₤ 60,000 ($ 97,000) on one more host.
" If it took place now, I would certainly do it - I would certainly be assuming straight.".
Actually possibly, host bars expanded out of among Korea's most entrenched as well as, some state, misogynist company customs - the area beauty parlor. These are personal drinking areas where groups of men pick, and are offered by, appealing female hostesses.
It was the hostesses' requirement to allow off vapor after job, claims veteran host Kim Dong-hee, that produced the initial need for host bars, with all-male personnel.
These girls are forced to do things they do not desire to do for money.
" I think a great deal of them are in pain, and a great deal really feel lonely. Basically, they intend to get our time and our bodies.".
People hosting still compose a large percentage of the consumers at host bars here, yet at Bar 123, for instance, up to 40% of the clients on a provided evening are currently from various other profession.
The reasons for that growing charm are locked up in South Korea's quick financial surge. Within 50 years, the nation moved from post-war destruction to OECD participant.
Yet, according to Jasper Kim, head of the Asia-Pacific Global Research Group in Seoul, something essential was lost in the process.
" I think that with all this quick growth comes fast modification, and also Koreans simply don't understand how to deal with it. Increasingly, capitalism is overtaking standard societal norms that you would certainly expect a number of years ago.".
Jasper Kim claims South Korea's infamously lengthy working hours have actually left several Korean females feeling lonesome, while the country's technical development has actually left lots of people feeling detached.
" The human component of Korean culture that existed in the past simply 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 ways, Korean society today type of advises me of 1960s society in the US, where it's on the verge of some kind of cultural change.".
The grandfather of Seoul's host bar scene, Kim Dong-hee, concurs that most of the females who involve host bars are not paying for sex yet for friendship, which is why he opened up a new chain of freshly-marketed electrical 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 intend to have aesthetic enjoyment and also intend to feel points, they're tactile. Females like to talk and to pay attention. Which's why I thought about opening a bar like this - a kind of discussion bar.".
Red Model Bars are different to standard host bars in one key regard - there is a no-touching rule. Hosts rest on one side of the table, consumers on the various other, and no physical get in touch with is allowed, and also certainly no sex.
Maybe therefore there is an absence of furtiveness amongst the people that function or consume alcohol right here - the lights are low, the style mostly dark red and the space is separated right into very discreet booths, however it is an open-plan room and also hosts and customers are split in each booth by a large table.
This new service design depends completely on women paying the equivalent of hundreds or perhaps hundreds of bucks to speak with fine-looking young men over a beverage. Still, it seems to be functioning - three brand-new branches are due to open this year.
Sitting at a table at one end of bench was among their regular consumers, a flower shop called Kim Nayu. She informs me she comes right here daily to satisfy her favorite host as well as go over problems she is contending work.
The rate for this slice of male attention is $487-650 (₤ 300-400) a day.
" Talking to close friends would certainly be cheaper" she admits, "however they don't listen as much. They're hectic, and quickly to talk about themselves. Below, individuals will certainly focus on me and they'll listen to me.".
" I invest a great deal of cash however it's worth it of what I obtain psychologically. Individuals pay to visit see a psychologist or psychoanalyst, so it's comparable yet much less demanding.".
Nayu's preferred host Sung-il claims it can be difficult to maintain his personal and professional life different.
" Honestly I would certainly be lying if I say I haven't been attracted to take things further with some customers, due to the fact that we're human, we're men, but there are guidelines.".
One of his customers talked a whole lot to her other half regarding him and also when the three of them fulfilled, Sung-il and the other half became friends.
" No one conceals - the workers don't conceal that they function right here, and also customers can be open also.".
This openness is posturing a brand-new kind of difficulty to South Korean society, different from the often seedy abyss of typical host bars and their hinterland of male hooking.
By offering women a "commendable" method to test standard sex roles as well as bend their financial power, these new bars ask questions of Korean culture that are coming to be more difficult to disregard.
Listen to the complete report on BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents. You can listen via the Radio 4 internet site or using the Crossing Continents podcast.
The attraction of host bars can be refined. Below, she says, she has more focus from her male companions, even more choice as well as, crucially, more control.
James has been working at Bar 123 for a pair of years. Rather, he informs me, it is all down to the host's own analysis.
And also that's why I assumed of opening up a bar like this - a kind of dialogue bar.".